COVER FEATURE term incentives. Trust is not built on bells and whistles; it is built on consistency, fairness and the knowledge that their contributions are working for them when they truly need care.
At scale, this requires systems that are efficient, governance that is robust, and service that remains personal. We aim to combine operational efficiency with human responsiveness, because healthcare is never just a transaction. It is deeply personal.
WHAT IS THE PERSPECTIVE THAT SHIFTED MOST WHEN YOU MOVED FROM WORKING WITH CAMAF AS A CLIENT TO LEADING IT AS CEO?
I have been involved with CAMAF and invested in its members since 2003. That commitment did not shift when I became CEO. What changed was my ability to execute. With CAMAF as client, I could advise and recommend. As CEO, I could implement structural change. Strategies I had long believed would strengthen service delivery and contain non-healthcare costs could move from concept into action.
This led to decisive interventions, including our move to self-administration and enhancements to systems and processes. These were not cosmetic adjustments; they were structural decisions aimed at improving responsiveness, strengthening governance oversight and ensuring that a greater proportion of member contributions flow towards healthcare rather than administration.
The most meaningful shift, however, was internal. We were able to embed a culture centered around accountability, humility, hospitality and empowerment. We introduced coaching, leadership development, continuous professional development and structured growth opportunities. Culture shapes service. When employees feel connected and invested, members experience the difference. The shift was not only in commitment but in impact.
HOW DO YOU APPLY YOUR CA DISCIPLINE TO NAVIGATING HEALTHCARE RISK?
My training instilled disciplined systematic thinking. It taught me to analyse patterns, interrogate assumptions and plan with long-term sustainability in mind. Healthcare risk is mostly measurable. Demographics, utilisation trends, economic shifts and legislative frameworks all influence solvency and stability. A structured financial mindset enables us to anticipate risks before they become a crisis.
However, numbers don’ t exist in isolation. Our members are largely professionals who think critically and expect transparency. Being able to communicate financial sustainability in clear logical terms strengthens trust.
A restricted scheme like CAMAF also benefits from‘ restricted risk’. Serving a defined professional community creates demographic alignment and stability in the risk pool. This enables more predictable planning and responsible benefit design. Financial rigour provides structure. Leadership ensures that structure serves people.
WHICH GOVERNANCE DECISIONS MOST UNDERPIN TRUST IN A MEDICAL AID FUND?
Consistency, fairness and transparency are foundational. Policies and rules must be applied uniformly. Members must never feel that influence, position or status affect decisionmaking. Equity builds credibility.
Strong, independent trusteeship and active audit and risk oversight are essential. Governance cannot be performative; it must be substantive.
Clear communication also plays a critical role. Members may not engage daily with governance frameworks, but they experience the outcomes, namely: stability of benefits, predictable contribution adjustments and transparent explanations when change is required. Trust grows quietly when decisions are principled and consistent.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE GREATEST INEFFICIENCIES IN THE MEDICAL AID ECOSYSTEM TODAY?
One of the most significant inefficiencies lies in pricing dynamics. Medical schemes are often“ price takers”, particularly with prescribed minimum benefits required to be paid at cost. The removal of the national reference pricing guidelines has further complicated the determination of reasonable reimbursement levels. This creates upward pressure on contributions without necessarily improving outcomes.
MARCH 2026 / INBOUND SA 7