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South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to sign into law a contentious national health bill that aims to provide universal coverage to millions of poor citizens. The premier of Western Cape province in South Africa has said he would not give up hope of pulling more survivors from the rubble of the five-storey building that collapsed in the city of George eight days ago.
The National Health Insurance (NHI) bill seeks to give South Africans “of all races, rich or poor and legal long-term residents” access to quality healthcare. Alan Winde said the rescue operation was proceeding layer by layer to ensure the safety of anyone still trapped alive.
It was passed by lawmakers last year and is set to be implemented in stages at a cost of billions of dollars. About 20 people are still missing, though Mr Winde said the presence of subcontractors at the site meant he still was not certain about numbers.
The opposition parties and civil society groups wanted the bill to be referred back to parliament, saying it was flawed in its current form. Thirty-two people are now known to have died.
The bill will be signed into law on Wednesday at the Union Buildings, the presidential office, in the capital, Pretoria, the presidency said. No one has been rescued since Saturday, although Mr Winde said past experience from earthquakes demonstrated that people could survive under rubble for extended periods.
It comes just days before the 29 May national election that could test the ruling African National Congress' 30-year rule. Read more:
South Africa is still considered one the most unequal societies in the world, with a huge wealth gap and 84% of South Africans relying on often poor quality public healthcare. 'Trapped in hell' under collapsed building but pulled out alive
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