Former president Nelson Mandela distanced himself on Wednesday from the Treatment Action Campaign’s (TAC) planned march on Parliament during the opening of this year’s parliamentary session on Friday.
Mandela visited a TAC-run centre in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, in December, during which he was presented with a TAC T-shirt which he wore as a sign of solidarity with the organisation’s call on government for treatment of HIV/Aids patients, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement.
A number of photographs were taken during the visit and the TAC asked the foundation for permission to use Mandela’s image on future posters.
Permission was granted to the TAC to use the picture for their advertising campaign.
”However, it was never anticipated that it would include the call for a march to Parliament on the day of the opening of Parliament,” the foundation said.
”Although Mr Mandela supports the TAC in their call for treatment, the march is not endorsed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation or Mr Mandela personally.
”Mr Mandela has made it clear on countless occasions in the past that although he supports the call for treatment he would like to see government be allowed to conduct research, and once concluded, announce those findings before final decisions are taken in this regard.
”He also emphasised that the public should be allowed to have access to such treatment at own risk in the meantime.”
The foundation would not like to be seen opposing government on this issue.
”We would also like to see the TAC consulting us before using Mr Mandela’s image as far as it concerns taking up their cause with government,” the foundation said.
TAC chairman Zackie Achmat said the TAC had understood from the beginning that Mandela did not endorse the march, and had not asked him to do so as it knew this would be ”inappropriate”.
The poster concerned had been submitted to the foundation, which had ”okayed” it.
It was clearly understood that Mandela’s image would be used to reduce the stigma associated with HIV/Aids and to endorse treatment for patients, he said.
Friday’s march was also not ”against the government”, but rather in support of a treatment plan, Achmat said. – Sapa