Author: Zanele Comfort

Delivered by a SayPro Royal Committee Non-Executive Member- Israel Basie Medupe

Distinguished SayPro Leadership, Esteemed Healthcare Workers, Valued Partners, and Community Members,

Good day to each and every one of you.

It is my honour to speak today as a Non-Executive Member of the SayPro Royal Committee on this important occasion — SayPro National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025. Today is not only about policies or systems — it is about people. People who deserve the right to choose how they are cared for, and people whose voices must be heard, respected, and protected.

Healthcare is one of the most personal and critical areas of our lives. It affects our families, our communities, and our future. Yet too often, people are left out of the very decisions that shape their own health journeys. At SayPro, we say: no more.

Today is a call to action — to empower every person with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to make informed healthcare choices. It is a day to educate, to advocate, and to honour the rights of individuals to say:

• “I understand my options.”
• “I want to choose my care.”
• “I need my voice to be respected.”

As a non-executive member, I represent a voice outside of day-to-day operations — a community voice. And what I see and hear across our communities is clear: people want to be involved in decisions that impact their health and lives. But for that to happen, we must build trust, transparency, and accessibility in our healthcare systems.

In 2025, the SayPro Royal Committee has taken real steps forward by:

• Promoting open dialogue between families and healthcare providers
• Encouraging cultural sensitivity in decision-making practices
• Ensuring that health information is clear, accessible, and available in multiple languages
• Supporting community workshops that teach people how to document and share their healthcare preferences

We must continue to reach those who are often left behind — the elderly, the disabled, the poor, and those in rural areas — and ensure that their decisions are not only heard but respected and implemented.

To our healthcare workers: Thank you for your dedication and compassion.
To our community members: You have the right to choose. Use your voice, protect your health.
To our SayPro family: Let us continue to put people first, by putting their choices at the centre of care.

On this National Healthcare Decisions Day, let us recommit ourselves to a future where dignity and choice are not optional — they are guaranteed.

Thank you.
Happy SayPro National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025!

Delivered by a SayPro Royal Committee Non-Executive Member -Timothy Magoro

Distinguished SayPro Leadership, Esteemed Healthcare Workers, Valued Partners, and Community Members,

Good day to each and every one of you.

It is my honour to speak today as a Non-Executive Member of the SayPro Royal Committee on this important occasion — SayPro National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025. Today is not only about policies or systems — it is about people. People who deserve the right to choose how they are cared for, and people whose voices must be heard, respected, and protected.

Healthcare is one of the most personal and critical areas of our lives. It affects our families, our communities, and our future. Yet too often, people are left out of the very decisions that shape their own health journeys. At SayPro, we say: no more.

Today is a call to action — to empower every person with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to make informed healthcare choices. It is a day to educate, to advocate, and to honour the rights of individuals to say:

• “I understand my options.”
• “I want to choose my care.”
• “I need my voice to be respected.”

As a non-executive member, I represent a voice outside of day-to-day operations — a community voice. And what I see and hear across our communities is clear: people want to be involved in decisions that impact their health and lives. But for that to happen, we must build trust, transparency, and accessibility in our healthcare systems.

In 2025, the SayPro Royal Committee has taken real steps forward by:

• Promoting open dialogue between families and healthcare providers
• Encouraging cultural sensitivity in decision-making practices
• Ensuring that health information is clear, accessible, and available in multiple languages
• Supporting community workshops that teach people how to document and share their healthcare preferences

We must continue to reach those who are often left behind — the elderly, the disabled, the poor, and those in rural areas — and ensure that their decisions are not only heard but respected and implemented.

To our healthcare workers: Thank you for your dedication and compassion.
To our community members: You have the right to choose. Use your voice, protect your health.
To our SayPro family: Let us continue to put people first, by putting their choices at the centre of care.

On this National Healthcare Decisions Day, let us recommit ourselves to a future where dignity and choice are not optional — they are guaranteed.

Thank you.
Happy SayPro National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025!

Delivered by the SayPro Royal Committee Deputy Secretary- Martha Keditlwaetse Moshoeshoe

Esteemed SayPro Leaders, Respected Health Professionals, Valued Community Members, and Honoured Guests,

Good day to you all.

It is a privilege to stand before you today as the Deputy Secretary of the SayPro Royal Committee on this important occasion — National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025. This is not just a day on the calendar. It is a declaration of dignity, choice, and empowerment for every individual in our communities.

At SayPro, we believe that true healthcare begins with respect — respect for life, for voice, and most importantly, for the ability of individuals to make their own informed decisions. As Deputy Secretary, my role is to support the systems that capture, protect, and uphold the voices of our people — not just in words, but in actionable records, policies, and service delivery.

On this day, we affirm that:

• Everyone has the right to understand their medical options
• Everyone has the freedom to express their healthcare preferences
• Everyone deserves access to information in a language and format they understand
• And everyone’s decisions should be documented and honoured, whether in a clinic, a hospital, or at home

Far too often, vulnerable groups — our elders, people living with disabilities, youth, and those in remote communities — are left out of important healthcare conversations. At SayPro, we are committed to ensuring that no voice is ignored, and no person is treated without clarity and consent.

This year, the SayPro Royal Committee has worked diligently to:

• Support awareness campaigns on the importance of advanced healthcare planning
• Promote easy-to-understand patient rights documentation
• Encourage health facilities to establish better decision-recording protocols
• And advocate for family involvement and community dialogue around healthcare decisions

Healthcare is not just a service — it is a relationship built on communication and trust. That relationship must be protected not only by health workers and families, but by our laws, institutions, and administrative systems.

Let today be a reminder that every individual should be empowered to say, “This is how I want to be cared for,” and to have that decision respected and recorded.

To our communities: You are not just patients — you are people with purpose, voice, and power.
To our healthcare professionals: Thank you for your care and for listening.
To our leaders and administrators: Let us continue to build systems that protect choice and prioritise human dignity.

Happy National Healthcare Decisions Day 2025 — a day of voice, value, and vision.

Thank you.