The National Association of People Living with HIV and Aids (Napwa) has condemned the vandalising of a South African Department of Health stall by Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) members in Toronto.
In a statement on Thursday, spokesperson Joe Manciya said it was wrong for TAC committee members to disrupt the garlic, lemon and beetroot-stocked exhibit at the International Aids Conference.
Napwa was convinced the South African civic society and community members would never support such "primitive" action.
Manciya's statement follows one made by Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang earlier on Thursday after TAC members occupied the stall with some lying on the ground to symbolise the dead.
Continues Below ↓
'Primitive' action Also, the group had chanted "Fire Manto now" and shouted: "How many lemons are you going to eat when your CD4 count drops below 200?"
They charged that South Africa's Aids response was "the worst response in the world to the epidemic and not the most comprehensive".
Health Ministry spokesperson Sibani Mngadi said TAC members also tried to confiscate garlic, lemon and beetroot exhibited at the stand along with antiretroviral drugs, condoms and various IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) material on HIV and Aids.
"One of the panels of the stand was damaged."
He accused TAC national manager Nathan Geffen of "making abusive utterances" and threatening government officials and the Khomanani service providers running the stand.
"The Ministry of Health would like to commend the officials who were able to protect the contents of the stand despite threatening and abusive behaviour of TAC supporters."
Condemning the "intolerance" of TAC supporters, Mngadi called on its leaders to take appropriate action to deal with their disruptive, abusive and threatening behaviour. - Sapa
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
