An alliance of advocates for equitable cancer care in South Africa is calling on the new Government of National Unity to make cancer a political priority, with a dedicated National Cancer Institute to close legislative and policy gaps that are driving life-threatening treatment disparities. The group says South Africa faces an impending cancer prevention and control crisis, with at least 3000 patients enduring potentially deadly delays in treatment access due to staff and equipment shortages. Only 44 of the country's 200 oncologists, for example, are employed in the public health sector, which serves 84% of the total population.