Once again South Africa has cause to be embarrassed by its leaders at the 14th International Aids Conference in Barcelona. It is time for Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to resign. She clearly not only does not understand much about HIV/Aids, its treatment, prevention and care, but she has forgotten that government ministers are employed by the people who voted for them.
Her statement implying that nevirapine is “poisoning my people” indicates that she still has not worked out the link between HIV and Aids and the efficacy of anti-retrovirals in preventing the transmission of the virus to the unborn child, or indeed, in treating those living with HIV.
We all hoped that President Thabo Mbeki’s sudden turnaround on the question of the link between HIV and Aids and the efficacy of anti-retrovirals would take Tshabalala-Msimang’s feet out of her mouth once and for all. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Now, to compound the idiocy, the health minister is demonstrating a desire for control that goes beyond belief — blocking R720-million that has been granted to KwaZulu-Natal by the Global Fund in response to a well thought out proposal to offer treatment, prevention and care to people in the province arguably hardest hit by the pandemic. Tshabalala-Msimang is reported to have told UNAids that we can manage our own HIV/Aids programmes without outside help — which is, I presume, why South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV/Aids of any country in the world.
If we can truly manage without outside help, why did the South African government put together an application to the Global Fund itself? Sour grapes, one presumes, since this application was turned down — I hesitate to speculate on the reasons for this.
There is a clear mandate from the population who put people like Tshabalala-Msimang in power. Through tireless organisations like the Treatment Action Campaign, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and most provincial governments, people want serious money spent on treatment, prevention and care for those living with HIV/Aids.
Dr Banu Khan, who works daily with those living with the disease in Botswana, has movingly said: “We are faced with extinction.” Does Tshabalala-Msimang, and others in similar positions of power, not realise that South Africa is facing exactly the same outcome?
Stop playing political games with people’s lives. We need the help of the West — albeit rather reluctantly given in most cases. We cannot simply let people die. — Dr Bridget Farham, editor, Perspective: An African Journal on HIV/Aids, Noordhoek, Cape Town
Seepe’s obsession prevents him from seeing the big picture
Reading Sipho Seepe’s “Nepad, schmepad” ( July 12), I am convinced that his critics are right when they assert the man is obsessed with criticising President Thabo Mbeki.
The G8 countries might not have granted us adequate money, but whose fault is it, Seepe? Is it Africa’s fault that colonialism has ravaged the continent? Is it Africa’s fault that the beneficiaries of colonialism have closed their markets and operate on rigid trade laws? Now, what more must Mbeki and his counterparts do to convince the G8 otherwise?
Instead of assuming that Mbeki and our African leaders are living in a world of fantasy (which is a cheap shot by Seepe), Seepe should critically look at the decisions by the G8. Why did they offer so little? Do they have valid reasons? Could they have offered more? Why is the G8 focusing on the Middle East?
These are questions Seepe should also seek to answer. As a writer who more often than not shapes people’s perceptions Seepe should start doing some real journalism and stop being obsessed with his petty tirade of unfounded criticism.
Journalism is a profession where diversity and innovation are required. These are traits Seepe clearly lacks. He has become an irritating armchair critic who needs to start peppering his articles with some extensive research, facts and a healthy dose of objectivity!– Maupi Monyemangene, Botlokwa, Limpopo
Contrary to the views of Seepe, I believe the African Union (AU) will make its mark. The AU is not about the West prescribing to Africans what they must do to develop, but about how Africans would like to build this continent. That is why the New Partnership for Africa’s Development puts more emphasis on human resource development in the continent, building infrastructure, improving health and productivity, and investing in IT, agriculture and beneficiation.
This is all about achieving the political and socio-economic integration of our continent. Through their actions, African leaders have demonstrated their determination to develop this continent and make it relevant in the new world order. But Seepe, unfortunately, based his analysis on what developed countries have offered Africa. This is a very screwed-up analysis aimed at rubbishing efforts by our Africans to take charge of their destiny. It seems the professor would have been much happier if things had continued the way they were before.
His obsession with Mbeki has blinded him from seeing the bigger picture. I must say that as an ordinary South African I am disappointed with the likes of Seepe, who do not constructively engage our leaders and contribute positively to the public discourse. –Howard Rakosa, Pretoria
It is interesting to note that the new-born AU has stuck to the (late) Organisation of African Unity line and refused to recognise Marc Ravolamana as president of Madagascar, although he won an election, while allowing every dictator across the continent to attend. If the AU is going to convince its critics that it is not just another Mutual Admiration and Solidarity Society, it will have to apply the same standards and measures to every other country in Africa. — John Grobler
Nothing secretive about the Moroccan conference
y our correspondent JJ Cornish (“Morocco still makes its mark”, July 5) tries to denigrate a conference co-hosted in Ifrane, Morocco, on July 3 to 4 by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Al Akhawayn University and the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Without having attended the conference, he writes that it was a secretive, all-expenses paid boondoggle intended to coincide with (and so undermine) the Durban African Union summit from which Morocco was absent because of the impasse around the Western Sahara/Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) issue.
But there was nothing to hide.
First, the conference was open to the general public. Cornish, who tried to secure an all-expenses-paid invitation, knew this. In fact, he was scheduled to attend (presumably at his own expense), and a room was booked for him. He was also sent the programme and, so, knew the themes, speakers and conference aims.
Second, in an effort to link African institutions, the SAIIA and Al Akhawayn, Morocco’s only English-medium university, compiled the conference programme. The date chosen reflected our own calendars.
Third, the proceedings were not secret. A detailed, public report on the conference has been drafted and will be published to share views about resolving difficulties, including the Western Sahara issue. Polisario, however, chose to pressurise participants not to attend.
Cornish maintains a pro-Polisario/SADR position on the Western Sahara. That is his choice, presumably based on professional judgement. But it is unprofessional to criticise a conference he did not attend and one aimed at facilitating dialogue on a range of issues — unless, of course, he prefers isolating Morocco? –Greg Mills, national director, South African Institute of International Affairs
Death of alliance is greatly exaggerated
I read with interest “A triumph, but not a turning point” (July 5), Sam Sole’s take on the recent Aids Treatment Congress , jointly hosted by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
Any contribution to the fight against Aids, be it one’s activism or an engagement with the public discourse on Aids, is always welcome.
Zachie Achmat is indeed a valuable and committed activist in the fight against Aids, and we can only hope that the call of hundreds of South Africans will encourage Achmat to take treatment and continue the fight.
It is also true that the battle for universal treatment in South Africa has just begun. But I must correct a few mistakes in Sole’s reasoning.
It is mischievous to question Cosatu’s continued backing of the fight against Aids and its commitment to the fruitful working relationship with the TAC. It is Cosatu’s commitment to the fate of millions of poor South Africans that directs its actions on Aids, not the opinions of various Cosatu office-bearers, and certainly not “post-apartheid ‘realpolitik'”.
It is also wrong-headed to characterise the relationship between the TAC and Cosatu as an “alternative alliance”. Alternative to what, the tripartite alliance? Surely not. Cosatu’s relationship with the TAC is an issue-based practical alliance between two civil society formations.
Cosatu maintains a web of such social alliances that have little or no impact on the tripartite alliance, and do not have the ominous import that Sole attaches to its anti-Aids alliance with the TAC.
A split from the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party is not portended by Cosatu acting to protect and defend its working class constituency, as a leading detachment of the working class should.
Also, I would have thought that “the most obvious political divide” of the post-apartheid era is the historical one between the racially defined haves and have-nots, and not between realpolitik and rights-based politics. Cosatu straddles no such divide, Sam.
But perhaps the most misleading and potentially damaging point in Sole’s article is his belief that Cosatu itself is “split” on the way to approach the challenge of Aids. This he extrapolates from two single sentences, taken from the speeches of Cosatu president Willie Madisha and general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi respectively.
There has grown a worrying trend in South African journalism when it comes to the tripartite alliance. Political correspondents appear to be involved in a race to foretell the death of the alliance. It is as if everyone, if and when the alliance comes to an end, wants to declare that “We called it first!”.
Now people are free to do this if they wish, but it doesn’t make for particularly informative analysis. — Vukani Mde, Cosatu publicity secretary
Help for the unemployed
The Men on the Side of the Road Project in Cape Town is the first initiative of its kind in South Africa to work with people (mostly male) who wait for daily jobs.
There are places where these men wait across South Africa. There are about 180 sites where 18 000 to 20 000 wait daily.
The project works on a five-point plan:
* Infrastructure such as toilets, water and shelter. The conditions where these men stand and wait for jobs are degrading.
* Media awareness. Thousands of people drive past these men daily. They seem like a forgotten group. The government has no programme, nor do the unions. They are exploited with no labour protection and no voice, and are often harassed by police, residents, and business.
* Research into the types of skills these men have, their demographics and new sites.
* Skills development on tendering, organising small business start-ups.
* Job creation through persuading the public to donate used and broken tools that will be refurbished by the men while they wait for daily jobs and then rented out or sold.
The numbers who stand on the side of the road are growing. It is time the Department of Labour and other stakeholders start working with these men in a developmental way. — Charles Maisel, programme manager, Men on the Side of the Road
Closed doors
We should not be misled by reportage about children walking miles to school into thinking that problems around school fees and the abuse of poor families are a rural phenomenon.
We have been trying to secure access to public schools in Johannesburg since January for three children, but the doors remain closed on grounds of inability to pay fees. This is a family for whom church members have been willing to bang on doors and phone officials; what of the rights of families with no such champions?
The Education Rights Project will miss the mark if it confines its efforts to the dysfunctional rural provinces. –Peter Lee, Liaison Bishop for Education of the Anglican Church (CPSA)
In brief
Once again I laugh out loud at Zapiro’s cartoon, “Bush’s Colonoscopy” (July 12). Problem is: George W Bush rules in the Land of the Sue and Zapiro could get had up for Defecation of Character. — D George, Muizenberg
Kudos to the South African Postal Service. A Jo’burg letter posted on July 11 was in my box the next day. Snail mail? More like cheetah mail. –WL Mason, Johannesburg
Inoted, with great satisfaction, Madiba “taking a spin” in his brand-new walking stick at the African Union launch in Durban. This sight has allowed me to appreciate the grey hairs that have come to invade my hair, which is otherwise pitch-black. May you see many more, Madiba! –Sandile Sibisi
My congratulations to Shyaka Kanuma for the article “Dreaming in Durban” (July 12). I have never before read such an honest and true depiction of Africa and its politics. My vote goes to Kanuma for “Journalist of the Year” award.– VM Guest, Nelspruit
You expect motor industry brown-nosing from the monthly glossies that rely on corporate advertising to sell their rags, but not the M&G. I’m talking about Gavin Foster’s take on the baby Fiat (“Great value for money”, July 12). No problem with the review, but since when was R68 000 for a sub-Uno city car with atrocious ride good value for money? The problem of greed and over-pricing in the car industry is a big one that somebody needs to tackle. I thought you might be up to the task. Maybe not.–Peter Frost, Cape Town
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