STORY: South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a bill into law on Wednesday (May 15) that aims to provide universal healthcare.
RAMAPHOSA: "The provision of healthcare in this country is currently fragmented. It is unsuitable and it is wholly unacceptable."
The National Health Insurance bill is popular among voters and its ratification comes two weeks before a national election.
Most polls are predicting that vote will see the ruling African National Congress lose its majority for the first time since being led to power by Nelson Mandela 30 years ago.
The bill, which will be implemented in stages at a cost of billions of dollars, was passed by lawmakers last year.
It would overhaul the current two-tier system that still reflects deep racial and social inequalities three decades after the end of apartheid.
[Cape Town resident Mtombizakahe Reshale, saying:] "It is a good thing because it will help poor people to get the good care of the health care."
However, the law is strongly opposed by business groups.
They say it will lead to disinvestment in the healthcare sector and will damage South Africa's already fragile economy.
Actor and filmmaker Kiroshan Naidoo says he doesn't think it is going to work.
"If you look at all of our state-run enterprises, they just don't work. I think there's too much corruption within the ANC for something like this which idealistically makes sense, but factually and if we look at the history of the ANC and the SAA (South African Airways), ESKOM, it won't work."
:: Democratic Alliance
Opposition party Democratic Alliance has said it will challenge the legislation in the courts "without delay".
Political commentators say that despite the bill being signed, concrete changes are unlikely to come soon.
