Western Cape launches South Africa's (SA) first health rewards pilot for public healthcare users

On 10 October 2026, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is proud to launch South Africa’s first rewards programme for residents who make use of public healthcare. Starting as a long-term pilot in Westridge, Mitchells Plain, WOWRewards will test whether small rewards can help people build healthier habits and access preventative care earlier and more consistently.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, called on residents to make healthy choices count. “While rewards programmes are familiar to many private medical scheme members, the majority of South Africans rely on public healthcare. WOWRewards will explore how a rewards approach can support healthier choices for residents served by the public health system.”

“Prevention is better than cure, but making healthy choices is not always easy. Through WOWRewards, we want to give people a little extra encouragement to take steps that can make a lasting difference to their health,” said Minister Wenger.

The pilot is open to residents of Mitchells Plain who make use of public healthcare facilities and are 18 and older. The programme will be expanded to Knysna in early 2027. The aim for this pilot project is to enrol up to 2 000 active participants across the two locations to test its operation in both metro and rural settings.

Participants will be able to earn up to R100 worth of rewards every month for completing approved activities relevant to their circumstances. These include:

• Booking antenatal care before 20 weeks of pregnancy and attending scheduled visits.
• Taking part in approved community exercise sessions and recognised parkrun events.
• Participating in weight monitoring.
• Keeping children’s routine immunisations up to date.
• Collecting scheduled chronic medication parcels on time.
• Completing short learning modules on pregnancy and caring for a newborn.

Once an activity has been verified, the applicable reward will be issued through the Zlto digital platform. WOWRewards builds on the community networks of Western Cape on Wellness (WOW), working with Zlto and local partners to help residents register and participate.

Chief Operating Officer for the provincial Department of Health and Wellness, Dr Saadiq Kariem, added, “This excellent wellness initiative is aimed at driving healthy behaviour and food choices that people make. Research has shown that regular exercise combined with healthier eating habits significantly reduces the prevalence of chronic diseases in people, improves one’s mental well-being and reduces weight. All of which significantly improve one’s quality of life.”

“This is a pilot, and we will learn as we go. Over time, we want to understand whether these rewards help people build and sustain healthier habits. That evidence will guide how we improve the programme and whether it can be expanded,” said Minister Wenger.

By supporting small, consistent steps towards better health, WOWRewards aims to make prevention part of everyday life and help residents make their healthy choices count.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Government: Office of the Premier.