Pretoria – Several unions are up in arms over the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) contribution increases and have called for protest action.
GEMS, the largest restricted membership medical scheme in South Africa, with over 890 000 principal members and more than 2.4 million beneficiaries, has announced increases in contributions in April.
GEMS said the matter causing consternation relates to the 2026 contribution adjustments.
Since the announcement, affected unions have complained that GEMS had become unaffordable, and efforts to force through two increases in contributions would be met with resistance.
Explaining the contentious move on Saturday, 21 February 2026, GEMS said it “wishes to clarify that these are not two separate increases; rather, a 9.5% adjustment which became effective on 1 February 2026”.
GEMS added: “The 9.8% figure mentioned was already approved for January by the Regulator due to statutory implementation timelines, and the only change effective from 1 April 2026 relates to the employer subsidy, which is an employer-managed process and is not a further GEMS contribution increase”.
However, unions are rallying against the increases in contributions announced by GEMS for 2026, warning that the higher costs for medical aid would place an undue burden on members and compromise their access to healthcare.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) has given GEMS a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the recently implemented 9.8% contribution hike for 2026.
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) is urging members to participate in lunch-hour demonstrations against the exorbitant increase in GEMS premiums.
COSATU, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, has come out in support of PSA, DENOSA, and other unions opposed to the GEMS contribution increases.
Responding to the union stance, GEMS said it “recognises that protests are a right of organised labour representing some of our members to express their concerns, specifically on the 2026 contribution increases”.
GEMS reiterated that the increases it announced were necessary to protect the scheme’s financial sustainability “for the benefit of its members”.
In Durban, PSA members today, Saturday, 21 February 2026, embarked on pickets in protest of the GEMS contribution hikes.
GEMS said its executive management and other senior officers were “present to receive the memorandum and reaffirm our commitment” to structured dialogue across all regions.
“As a scheme, we call for continued engagement and consultation with organised labour to find and implement solutions,” stated Dr. Stan Moloabi, Principal Officer of GEMS.
“We remain open and fully committed to constructive dialogue and will share information transparently so that we both work towards practical and sustainable solutions.
“We firmly believe that meaningful engagement is the most effective way to resolve concerns and strengthen trust.”
Dr. Moloabi added: ”We reiterate that GEMS remains firmly committed to transparency, affordability, and the long-term sustainability of the scheme for the benefit of all its members.
“We value the continued partnership with our stakeholders and will continue to engage in good faith to ensure that decisions taken are responsible, balanced, and in the best interests of members.”
