“Closing the gap in the wrong direction” migration, health policy, and the exclusion of asylum seekers, refugees and undocumented migrants from healthcare access in South Africa

South Africa is not merely failing to meet its UHC goals-it is actively retreating from them. Exclusionary practices, once informal, are now guiding policy. Ensuring healthcare is truly accessible, acceptable, and sustainable for all requires urgent policy, legal, and institutional reforms to protect healthcare access for all, irrespective of status. Without these actions, the most vulnerable will continue to be excluded from essential services, undermining both constitutional values and global health goals.