By Noko Mashilo
Mabalane Mfundisi, the C20 South Africa Sherpa, delivered an insightful address during the 1st Health Working Group meeting hosted by South Africa’s National Department of Health on Friday, 24 January 2025.
In his remarks, he emphasised the critical role of civil society in shaping inclusive and effective health policies.
Mfundisi reaffirmed the Civil 20 (C20) commitment to engaging civil society actors across South Africa, the broader African continent, and globally. He highlighted the importance of fostering partnerships to ensure that grassroots organisations, advocacy groups, and community leaders play a meaningful role in policy development processes.
His speech underscored the C20’s mission to amplify the voices of marginalised communities and promote policies that address issues like universal health coverage, health equity, and sustainable development.
Through collaborative engagement, he urged civil society role players to contribute their expertise and insights to create impactful health solutions that resonate locally and globally.
Mfundisi welcomed the South African government’s presidency of the G20: “We are ready to walk and work in developing and socialising the policy pack that will articulate our positions and contributions to the G20 Health Working Groups.
“Our leadership collective as the C20 South Africa, working and guided by the International Advisory Committee of the C20, will be guided by the independence of civil society to advocate for a better world that is possible when governments of the world govern in the interest of the whole of humanity.
“Through consultation and based on the work done in Brazil and other G20 processes, we will ensure an inclusive process that will provide a robust, radical and progressive voice of civil society that will culminate in the C20 Policy Pack that will be presented to President Ramaphosa and other global leaders in November 2025,” said Mfundisi.
He further said that this process will be local through voices of the diverse civil society in South Africa, the rest of Africa and globally: “As the C20 South Africa leadership, we will heed the call made by President Ramaphosa in his G20 acceptance speech on 3 December 2024 where he said “It is important for South Africa that our G20 Presidency is inclusive. Dialogue with civil society and other non-government institutions will be conducted through various engagement groups. South Africa firmly believes that civil society serves as a bridge between the G20 leaders and the people who have the greatest interest in their deliberations.”
Mfundisi is adamant that the stage has been set and that their role as the C20 working with other G20 engagement groups will ensure that a strong bridge is built to carry heavy loads and people whose sole aim is to make the world a better place for all.
“This better world includes decisions that will alter the current global financial architecture and propel global leaders to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, climate action and other commitments. In line with South Africa’s theme of Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability we believe that leaders of the world will agree on ambitious commitments that will change the health security of all citizens of the world,” said Mfundisi.
He also said they welcome the 5 priorities of the Health Working Group that aim to accelerate health equity, solidarity and universal coverage. “These priorities already form part of the 2nd Presidential Health Compact that was signed by President Ramaphosa and stakeholders in South Africa in 2024.
• Strengthening Primary Health Care as a pathway towards UHC means that the National Health Insurance has no option but to succeed: and this success must be shared with other countries to follow suit.
• Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response means that on an ongoing basis, communities must be at the centre of the response so that challenges experienced during COVID-19 do not visit us again. In this regard, mechanisms that inform Risk Communications & Community Engagement must involve communities.
• Strengthening the Health and Care Workforce means that a middle ground must be reached between governments, the private sector and labour unions so that they put their best foot forward to address the health needs of citizens.
• Stemming the tide of NCDs by focusing on better prevention.
• Science and Innovation for Health and Economic Growth means tapping into the power of what technologies can do in the provision of better health services for citizens.