INLSA
Premier Helen Zilles Get Tested to Win competition has found support from one of her fiercest critics on HIV/Aids policy. Photo: Melinda Stuurman
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s “Get Tested to Win” competition, which kicks off today, has found support from one of her fiercest critics on HIV/Aids policy, while the ANC described the move as “bizarre”.
Zille announced on Friday that, as part of the 16 Days of Activism for Women Against Violence, her office would offer R100 000 in cash prizes in a lucky draw to six members of the public who had HIV tests at provincial health facilities.
The ANC’s Western Cape spokesman on health, Mcebisi Skwatsha, said Zille’s plan was “bizarre”.
“It smacks of an intention to discriminate, and it’s highly suspicious. HIV testing is not a panacea (for) Aids,” he said.
He called on Zille and the DA to support the national government’s comprehensive plan for dealing with HIV/Aids.
“All of us must support that plan. All (Zille) needs to do is support the (national health insurance),” said Skwatsha.
Zille’s spokesman, Zak Mbhele, said the prize money was from the Department of the Premier. Five of the prizes are R10 000 each and the top prize is R50 000.
It was decided to hold the competition instead of staging a 16 Days of Activism event.
The draw is on December 10, coinciding with the end of the activism campaign.
“We’re deciding whether it will be a public draw. First we have to check whether the winners would want their names to be publicised,” said Mbhele.
Francois Venter, a doctor working in HIV and the outgoing president of the SA HIV Clinicians Society, said he welcomed the move.
“I have no problem with that as long as there is counselling. For once I agree with Zille.”
Venter has been critical of Zille’s call to file murder charges against those who knowingly infect their partners with HIV.
He said HIV testing had taken off in the past two years, with more South Africans coming forward.
“The problem is they’re not getting the care that they need. People are referred to a health care system that is not friendly and they often don’t come back,” said Venter.
Zille said on Friday that the province’s voluntary testing programme had been a success story, with just over one million people being tested last year.
In the Western Cape, 103 000 people received antiretroviral treatment.
The province spent R661 million on its HIV/Aids programmes, in addition to the R1.2 billion provided by the global Aids fund during the last financial year.
Zille said that while mother-to-child transmission had been reduced to less than 3 percent, a lot needed to be done. She said women and children were susceptible to HIV because of the high levels of sexual violence against them.
A leader of the Treatment Action Campaign, Nathan Geffen, said he would not respond to Zille’s latest announcement. Like Venter, he has been critical of her calls for prosecution. A spokesman said the TAC had yet to formulate a response.
At the weekend, Mark Heywood, a director of Section 27, criticised the competition, saying the money could be used for community campaigns encouraging behaviour change. – Cape Times
quinton.mtyala@inl.co.za
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Flak and favour for Zille’s HIV lucky draw