ABOUT BONITAS

WHO WE ARE

We’ve been around for nearly 40 years – long enough to have developed a rich heritage and a solid understanding of the private healthcare industry in South Africa. So our team of experts is always looking at innovative ways to ensure our members get affordable, quality healthcare, whether it’s keeping our fingers on the pulse of technology, managing your care so lifestyle diseases are identified before they become chronic, or negotiating better rates for you. If you are one of our 730 000 beneficiaries, then you will know we are always on your side – negotiating for better rates and sourcing reputable service providers to help keep you healthy and limit rising healthcare costs.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all, so our wide range of plans ensure that you and your family will find a snug fit for your particular needs. We also believe there is beauty in simplicity and have made our plans easy-to-understand and use while helping to stretch your benefits as far as possible. Whether you are a go-getting entrepreneur, a CEO, newly-weds, a couple with a new family, facing retirement, or a minimum wage earner who needs peace of mind when it comes to healthcare, Bonitas is there for you.

And yes size does matter – we have financial stability, strong key indicators of fiscal health and reserves of over R6 billion. So you know we have you covered.

OUR AWARDS

One of the Bonitas strategic pillars is to connect with our customers to ensure we are always striving to deliver on their best interests and remain member-centric. Our team have all embraced this strategy and their hard work in supporting this strategy is paying off.

Bonitas Medical Fund has been highlighted as having a high level of service excellence and customer satisfaction across three different surveys.

Ask Afrika Orange Index
  • Voted the best medical aid in South Africa in the 2021/2022 Ask Afrika Orange Index for service excellence in the Medical Aid industry.
  • Voted the no. 1 medical aid in South Africa in the 2019/2020 Ask Afrika Orange Index for service excellence in the Medical Aid industry.
  • Voted industry winner as the top medical aid in South Africa in the 2017/2018 Ask Afrika Orange Index for service excellence in the Medical Aid industry.

The Ask Afrika Orange Index, which started in 2001, measures services within and across 31 industries, using 10 of the most relevant service benchmarks. This provides a 360-degree view of the service performance of an organisation while measuring customer and emotional satisfaction and loyalty.

South African Consumer Index for Medical Schemes (2019)

The South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SA-CSI) for Medical Schemes (2019) conducted by Consulta, provides highly scientific insights into the overall level of satisfaction of customers of South Africa’s medical scheme providers.

In the overall 2019 Customer Satisfaction Index, Bonitas came out on top (joint leadership position), showing the greatest improvement of 4.9 index points.

Sunday Times Top Brands Awards

2nd place in the 2019 Medical Aid Companies category! The Sunday Times Top Brands survey is the leading barometer of consumer sentiment towards brands. When you receive accolades such as these, it is an endorsement that you are doing something right, however the competition will become fiercer.

Notwithstanding the achievements, we will not allow ourselves to become complacent but remain passionate and committed to doing right by our members and beneficiaries!

We are proud to be making a difference to our members when they need us the most, in life-changing moments. We are there For South Africa, For Life!

OUR FINANCIALS

Medical schemes are non-profit organisations. This means any money we save is for the benefit of our members. The more we can save, the more we can keep costs down as well as increase the value of your benefits.

While we might not run for commercial profit, all our financial ducks still have to be very much in a row, including our financial reserves. The good news is we have more than enough in reserves. So we are absolutely confident that we can not only pay your claims but provide you with the best possible bang for your buck.

As an added bonus, our financial indicators are well above industry average and include low expense ratios, allowing us to provide you with quality healthcare and benefits.

Disclaimer on conclusion of external audit process

The Bonitas external audit process concludes with the submission of the annual statutory return (ASR) to the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS). The CMS ASR system was adjusted for 2023 due to introducing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 17: Insurance Contracts,  and the medical schemes industry was informed of a delay in the ASR process. This led to a delay in concluding the Bonitas external audit. To minimise the impact on regulated AGM timeframes, the CMS guided medical schemes to issue the Annual Financial Statements (AFS) and the Annual Integrated Report (AIR) in draft form. The AFS and AIR will be finalised and signed when the external audit opinion is concluded. If any changes are required to the AFS by the CMS the Scheme will inform you accordingly.

OUR LEADERSHIP

Effective leadership is rooted in passion for the cause – in this case making quality healthcare more affordable and accessible. If we make a profit it is ploughed straight back into the Fund so that we can give you more value for your money. We also use this profit to help keep healthcare costs down for you. We have a management team with a wealth of experience to ensure that Bonitas runs smoothly. They are supported by an independently elected Board of Trustees to ensure that our members’ interests are always put first.

Board of Trustees
Mr O J Komane (57) CHAIRPERSON
(Elected Trustee)
Mr Komane is a non-executive director of Mineworkers Investment Company. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick (UK). Mr Komane is currently the Managing Director of Accelerated Mining Services and served for two terms in the office as the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers. He previously also held a number of positions on different boards of companies.

Appointment details:
Appointed: 1 June 2021

First appointed as Trustee 2 January 2016; appointed Vice- Chairperson with effect from 1 October 2017; appointed Chairperson with effect from 13 March 2019 to 3 December 2020; Trustee term ended with effect 4 January 2021; re-elected as Trustee with effect 1 June 2021 and appointed as Chairperson with effect 28 September 2021; re-appointed as Chairperson with effect 12 August 2022
Mr R Cowlin (68) VICE-CHAIRPERSON
(Appointed Trustee)
Mr R Cowlin has over thirty years’ experience in the medical aid industry and was involved in several aspects of the industry, including administration, marketing, product design and managed care. He held various top management positions within Medscheme and was the Managing Director of Aid for Aids for ten years.

Appointment details:
Appointed: 5 January 2021

Appointed Vice-Chairperson with effect from 13 March 2019 to 3 December 2020; Trustee term ended with effect 4 January 2021; appointed by the Board with effect 5 January 2021; appointed as Vice-Chairperson with effect 12 August 2022.
Mr J Bagg (70)
(Appointed Trustee)
Mr J Bagg is a qualified actuary with over 40 years’ actuarial, financial management and consulting experience. He served as Statutory Actuary for numerous life insurance companies and is a Trustee of various retirement funds. He also holds directorships at life insurance and reinsurance companies.

Appointment details:
Appointed:5 October 2022

Previous Trustee of Liberty Medical Scheme (LMS). Appointed to the Bonitas Board pursuant to the amalgamation with LMS; re-appointed by the Board as a Trustee with effect from 1 April 2019 as part of a casual vacancy (appointment was approved by the members at the AGM held on 19 August 2019); appointed Vice-Chairperson with effect from 4 December 2020 and stepped down as Vice-Chairperson on 12 August 2022; Trustee term ended 31 August 2022 and appointed by the Board with effect 5 October 2022
Mr M G Netshisaulu (46)
(Elected Trustee)
Mr MG Netshisaulu holds an LLB and MCom in Taxation. He is a chartered tax adviser and a member of the Compliance Institute of South Africa. He has extensive experience in the tax industry from SARS, as well as corporate and non-profit organisations. He completed a CMS trustee development and inhouse BHF programme. He is currently employed as a Financial Strategic Analyst at the University of South Africa (UNISA). He also serves as UNISA member of the Professional Research Committee. He also previously served as Nehawu Branch Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson

Appointment details:
Appointed:1 September 2017 and re-elected 9 September 2022

Mr J D Ngwane (66)
(Elected Trustee)
Mr JD Ngwane was employed by the National Union of Mineworkers as Unit Head: Social Benefits. He assisted union negotiated retirement funds with a process involving harmonising of benefits, resulting in consolidation of funds. His self-insurance experience on retirement funds helped in reducing repudiated permanent disability claims, thus resulting in savings in premiums paid to the insurer and these reverting to the members fund credit. He assisted with medical aid comparisons across the mining industry resulting in the chosen option, benefits and costs being favourable to the members and their families during hard financial times.


Appointment details:
Appointed:1 July 2019

Appointed Chairperson with effect from 4 December 2020 and stepped down as Chairperson on 28 September 2021
Mr P J Ribbens (51)
(Elected Trustee)
Mr PJ Ribbens started his business in 1997 and has run it for the past 24 years. He has vast experience in marketing and sales and is a director of Ribbens Office National. His responsibilities include overseeing assigned accounts and monitoring and evaluating project activities. He provides guidance to the marketing department by evaluating and developing marketing strategies and planning and coordinating marketing efforts. He positions the company’s brand and also develops pricing strategies with the sales department.


Appointment details:
Appointed:1 July 2019
Mr J R Venter (41)
(Elected Trustee)
Mr JR Venter holds a BCom from the University of Pretoria. He has extensive experience in business development, corporate governance, strategic member relationship, retention management and financial management. He is employed by the largest technology service provider in Africa with more than 15 years’ ICT experience. Mr Venter is member-focused and drives SLA adherence from service providers, thorough due diligence for contracts and value creation for members


Appointment details:
Appointed:1 July 2019
Ms V Rikhotso (37) (CA(SA) )
(Elected Trustee)
Ms Rikhotso is a chartered accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. She has 14 years’ experience in public and private sector auditing, specialising in financial services, tourism and transport sectors. She is currently a Senior Specialist: Governance, Risk and Compliance at Transnet SOC Ltd. She is responsible for establishing and maintaining sustainably effective internal controls across the Transnet Corporate Centre operating division, identifying areas that require financial and operational improvements in the internal control processes and driving the development of appropriate models/ solutions to sustainably address risks and compliance with applicable legislation


Appointment details:
Appointed:9 September 2022
Adv R T Monene (30)
(Elected Trustee)
Adv Monene completed her diploma in Law, LLB, and additional module Public International Law at UNISA. She joined the Johannesburg Bar in December 2018 after her studies at UNISA and serving on student representative bodies. In 2017, she Chaired the Student Representative Council at UNISA. In 2022, Adv Monene was appointed as a member of the Board of Trustees of Bonitas Medical Fund. Adv Monene is a general litigator with experience and interest in administrative and public law, medical negligence, constitutional law, human rights law, family law, labour law and regulatory law


Appointment details:
Appointed:9 September 2022
Mr Andrew Edwards (64)
(Appointed Trustee)
Andrew Edwards has over 25 years of experience in financial services and private healthcare funding. With a Bachelor of Science (Human Physiology) and a Higher Diploma in Education Postgraduate, his expertise includes Corporate Wellness Strategy, Managed Care, Clinical Risk Management, Sales, Marketing, and Distribution. Andrew's innovative track record makes him a valuable Trustee for any Medical Scheme.

As Executive Principal Officer of Liberty Medical Scheme for a decade, he served over 100,000 members and families, showcasing his dedication and ethical conduct. His deep understanding of healthcare economics ensured strategic decision-making that prioritized member satisfaction. Andrew's executive leadership in multi-billion rand scheme mergers and at AfroCentric Group, where he established AfroCentric Corporate Solutions, highlights his strategic skills.

In the past two years, Andrew has run a successful coaching and consulting business focused on Executive Coaching, Resilience & Mental Well-being, and Corporate Well-being. His innovative work in combating clinical burnout and coaching high-performance teams benefits a variety of stakeholders. Andrew's understanding of people and strategic collaborations makes him an invaluable asset for organizations in the dynamic healthcare industry.


Appointment details:
1 April 2024
Management

Because we have been entrusted with the responsibility of looking after your needs, we take your welfare and healthcare very seriously. It is our duty and our promise to:

  • Always act in the best interests of you and your beneficiaries
  • Provide healthcare benefits of exceptional quality and substance
  • Make sure you get value for money when you need it most.
  • Design and customise our benefit options to ensure there is a plan that is perfect for you and your family
  • Make it simple and easy to understand
  • Deliver outstanding service
  • Ensure that our financial management and corporate governance is exceptional
Mr Luke Woodhouse – Chief Financial Officer
Luke is a qualified chartered accountant (CA)SA and holds a BCompt (Hons) Accounting Science. He has over 12 years’ experience in the healthcare sector, previously heading up finance and operational roles within the AfroCentric Group. He has a wealth of practical experience when managing technical finance matters relating to the medical scheme environment.

Mr Lee Callakoppen – Principal Officer
Lee holds a Master HR Professional (SA Board for People Practices), MPhil (Human Resource) and Industrial Sociology and Information Science Honours Degree from the University of Johannesburg. He also holds a Global Executive Development Qualification (GEDP) from GIBS and Completed the Professional Trustee Development Programme at Wits Business School. He has a wealth of experience at an executive level with specialisation in human capital, transformation, and operational management. He has been involved with Medscheme and the AfroCentric Group in various functions for over 13 years, including heading up the Bonitas business unit. He serves on the BHF Board and is Chair of the BHF Finance and Audit Committee

Ms Mpho Masilela – Scheme Secretary
Mpho holds a Professional Advanced Qualification in Governance and Administration, a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Practice from a reputable international Business School, and Post-Graduate Certificates in Company Law, Advanced Company Law and Governance, Risk and Compliance from Wits University. In addition, Mpho has over 20 years of company secretarial experience working directly with boards in the trade union environment, non-governmental healthcare organisations, and the medical schemes industry, specialising in Board Administration, Corporate Governance, Company Law, Compliance, and the King IV Code.

Mrs Mathilda Marais – Head: Governance, Risk and Compliance
Mathilda holds a BCom Financial Accounting and a BCom Honours in Internal Audit from the University of Pretoria and she is a qualified Certified Internal Auditor (“CIA”). Before she joined Bonitas Medical Fund, she was a Senior Manager in the Financial Services - Risk Assurance division at PwC. She joined Bonitas Medical Fund as the General Manager: Governance, Risk and Compliance during October 2018.
Mathilda has over 20 years’ experience in internal audit, governance, compliance, and risk management within the financial services sector, and more specifically medical schemes.
Mathilda is currently a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (“IIA”) and have a certification through the IIA in Risk Management Assurance (“CRMA”).

Mr Shane Perumal – Head of Operations
Shane holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a specialisation in HealthCare Management from a reputable business school. Over the past 25 years he has been involved within the healthcare industry, employed by Medscheme and the AfroCentric Group in various functions including IT System Support, Business Development and Project Leadership.
Shane's passion for optimising business processes and improving operational efficiency led him to pursue a career in operations management. His expertise lies in analysing complex systems, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing innovative solutions to drive efficiency and maximise performance. This is fuelled by his strong analytical skills and attention to detail.

Dr Themba Hadebe: Bonitas Clinical Executive
Dr Hadebe is a qualified Medical Doctor from Stellenbosch University. He further holds post graduate qualifications, including Occupational Health, Global Health and Business Studies. He has over 12 years of experience in both the private and public healthcare sector, as a private practitioner and medical officer. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the Occupational and Executive Health and Wellness space having held a Medical Advisory role at Netcare Group where he strategically dealt with and led health wellness portfolios.
Dr Hadebe’s patient centred and value-based approach to healthcare has always ensured success in his roles whilst optimising the quality of life and health for the client.

OUR SPONSORSHIP

We have a number of sponsorship initiatives that benefit not just our community of members but the community at large. The thread that runs through all of them, big or small, is that we are always promoting health and wellness and making healthcare accessible to more people. This includes improving the skills of your healthcare professionals so they give you the best, cutting edge level of care and sharing information and tips around chronic conditions and other health concerns that are prevalent in South Africa.

OUR SPONSORSHIPS
Gift of the Givers

Hearing loss is more common than we think, up to 19% of South African school children suffer from varying degrees of hearing difficulties. To address this important health issue and close the gap on hearing impediments, we have partnered with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers, on a project that will initially screen around 15 860 learners during 2023. We are truly excited by this partnership, and we know this ambitious project will have a profound impact on so many lives. .

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