5. Mr N Singh (Inkatha Freedom Party) to ask the Deputy President:
(a) What are the details of the government's recently announced expanded HIV and AIDS programme (details furnished),
(b) how will the programme be (i) financed, (ii) monitored and (iii) rolled out and (c) when will the full details be made available? NO2516E
Reply:
Honourable Member, during the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) meeting on 12 August this year, we announced that people who are infected with HIV and have a CD4 count of 350 and less will be eligible for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
In essence this means that more people will now be treated earlier thus decreasing their chances of infecting others and they will also benefit by staying healthier for longer. This will eventually contribute to increased life expectancy which to date has declined due to HIV and related illnesses.
The Department of Health has worked closely with the National Treasury, the World Health Organisation, UNAIDS and experts to conduct analysis and forecasts on the financial implications of the proposed programme.
A well calculated cost has been developed which allowed government to include some of the projected costs in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework. Consequently, resources have already been made available in the Department of Health budget to cover some of the costs of the programme.
We have received additional funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and SANAC successfully submitted a proposal to the Global Fund requesting a significant amount of resources to fund the purchase of antiretroviral drugs and an additional amount of R244 million will be provided through the national Department of Health to procure the additional commodities required.
The Ministers of Health and Finance have also successfully obtained a 53% reduction in the costs of ARVs through a concerted effort and robust engagement with the pharmaceutical industry. This saved the government R4.7 billion which makes it possible to treat more people.
These initiatives as well as on going efforts to maximise efficiencies will enable the costs of the expanded programme to be covered, at least in the short to medium term.
Honourable Member, the national and provincial departments of health have existing systems to monitor their HIV, AIDS and TB programmes, and these systems are being strengthened.
A three tier monitoring system is now being implemented which consists of paper-based monitoring, electronic monitoring and more importantly, a system linking all provinces. In this regard, I can assure this House that patient confidentiality will not be compromised during use of these systems.
As for the implementation of the expanded programme, the new guideline is effective immediately as of this month, and full details of this programme are already in the public domain. Government will continue to interact with the public, stakeholders and practitioners in the field to ensure that all relevant details are known to all.
Honourable Members, I believe that through our combined efforts, and by working together we can defeat the scourge of HIV and AIDS.
I thank you.
6. Prof B Turok (African National Congress ) to ask the Deputy President:
(1)Whether he has been informed of the forthcoming high-level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) convened by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to be held in Busan, South Korea from 29 November to 1 December 2011; if so,
(2) Whether the government has taken any steps to demonstrate support for the African Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev), which was adopted in Addis Ababa by the African Union, African Development Bank and New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) on 27 March 2011 and which is to be presented at the Busan conference; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) Whether the government has informed the public about its support of this initiative; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(4) Whether a high-level government delegation will attend the Busan conference; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,
(5) Whether he will invite members of Parliament to be part of the delegation; if not, why not; if so, what are therelevant details?
NO1420E
Reply:
Yes, Honourable Turok, I am aware of the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. Invitations were extended to government by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Pretoria in June this year.
As Members may be aware, the Africa Platform for Development Effectiveness (APDev) was officially launched during the African Union/Economic Commission for Africa Joint Annual Meetings of Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 27 March this year.
Though he was unable to attend the launch, the Minister of Finance in his response to the invitation, expressed the South African government's support for multi-stakeholder dialogues that promote a unified message for Africa to grow out of Aid, enhance domestic resource mobilisation, deepen ownership and promote south-south cooperation.
Government intends to inform the public of its support for this initiative through the communication channels that are managed by the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).
The South African government will be represented in Busan by a high-level delegation. Furthermore, the invitation from the Korean Embassy also requests that Members of Parliament and representatives from civil society be included in the South African delegation.
I thank you.
7. Rev K R J Meshoe (ACDP) to ask the Deputy President:
Whether the Government has officially (a) requested the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) to stop the bombing of Libya that has resulted in the death of civilians and (b) objected to any policy in support of regime change in Libya; if not, why not; if so, what is the government’s policy with regard to regime change in a sovereign country?NO2508E
Reply:
Yes Honourable Meshoe, the government of South Africa has said repeatedly that hostilities in Libya need to end, including the bombing by Nato. President Zuma has made this point clearly in his engagements with Prime Minister Cameron of Britain who recently visited our country; to President Medvedev of Russia, as well the Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen when he attended a special meeting in Russia recently.
The President as well as the Minister and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation have consistently spoken out against Nato’s violation of the mandate of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 in seeking regime change and the resultant loss of civilian lives as it continues its bombing campaign of Tripoli.
The South African government has been clear in all engagements on the matter of Libya that it is against regime change and will continue to raise this issue in an attempt to prevent further loss of civilian lives and in seeking the adoption and implementation of the African Union Roadmap by all parties involved in the Libyan conflict.
Honourable Member, the African Union has made it very clear that the Libyan people must determine their own future through an inclusive process that will ensure a full democratisation of all political institutions. This will allow for macro-economic recovery and the restoration of normality in Libyan society.
As Honourable Meshoe is aware, it is our collective view as leaders in Africa that no illegal removal of a government can be justified, not least through violent means.
I thank you.
8. Mr S Mokgalapa (DA) to ask the Deputy President:
(1) What is the full extent of all South African relief efforts in respect of the current humanitarian crises in Somalia;
(2) Whether the government cooperated with any African Union member states in contributing to the relief efforts; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) with which specified countries and (b) what are the further relevant details of the contributions? NO2519E
Reply:
The South African government has responded to the humanitarian crisis confronting Somalia by raising Eight Million Rand towards the famine relief programme, Four Million of which was donated to the Gift of the Givers towards transportation and logistical costs of delivering aid to Somalia.
Furthermore, and in line with South Africa's foreign policy objective of the Consolidation of the African Agenda, the South African Government in partnership with Brand South Africa has teamed up with the Gift of the Givers, and launched the Somalia Relief Campaign to raise public awareness of the dire situation in Somalia and to galvanise South Africans to make donations for relief efforts in that East African country.
The South African Government also provided transport in the form of a South African National Defence Force C130 Hercules supply plane to the Gift of the Givers to deliver 18 tons of essential food and anti-malaria medication to Mogadishu on 16 August 2011.
This latest consignment brings to 112 tons the total aid delivered to Somalia by the Gift of the Givers in a two week period.
In addition, government collaborated with other South African based organizations who are contributing to relief work for Somalis in Somalia and refugee camps in neighbouring countries.
These organisations include Islamic Relief South Africa, Africa Muslim Agency, Netcare South Africa, the Al Imdaad Foundation and the Somali Community Board of South Africa. Members of the South African business community were also motivated to contribute and food and other essential items were donated.
The total amount of the South African contribution, including government and civil society is difficult to quantify at this stage, but certainly exceeds R20 million.
As the Honourable Member is aware, the African Union hosts the Pledging Conference this week in Addis Ababa, where the South African Government will make further pledges.
Let me use this opportunity to restate that South Africa, SADC and the African Union’s position on Somalia is that it is only under conditions of peace, stability and unity that a humanitarian crisis like this can be mitigated.
We therefore call on all parties involved to work towards a lasting solution to the political crisis in that country.
Once again we thank all individuals and organisations in South Africa that made contributions through various platforms including the SABC Telethon.
I thank you.
