An invitation to Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang to address a full council meeting of the Cape Town city council has been turned down, according to Mayor Helen Zille.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the mayor’s office noted that on Thursday August 31, the council adopted a motion moved by the African National Congress — in opposition on the council — to invite the minister and her Western Cape provincial counterpart, Pierre Uys, to address a full council on the government’s plans to combat the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Zille reported that acting on this resolution, invitations were sent by her office to both the national and provincial ministers to address the City of Cape Town this week, ”or at a later date”.
Zille, who leads a multiparty city government of a range parties, reported that ”regrettably, both have turned down the invitation”.
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) leader Zachie Achmat recently addressed a sitting of the council. — I-Net Bridge