South Africa has no record of foreign nationals using public healthcare, says Motsoaledi
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has confirmed that the government does not track the number of documented or undocumented foreign nationals accessing South Africa’s public health facilities.
Responding to a parliamentary question from ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape, Motsoaledi said hospital and clinic systems do not differentiate between citizens and non-citizens, making it impossible to provide figures for the past five years.
While patients are often asked for identification, treatment is still provided without it. The minister noted that many South Africans also access care without IDs, further complicating any attempt to categorise foreign patients.
ActionSA has criticised the lack of data, arguing it hampers effective budgeting and resource allocation in the health sector.
The disclosure comes amid growing political and public debate over the strain on healthcare resources and the rights of migrants to access them.