By cheo tyehimba

Johannesburg - On the heels of a recent Newsweek article which highlighted South African president Thabo Mbeki's stance toward AIDS and drug treatment, former president Nelson Mandela has asked the government to provide free antiretroviral drugs to AIDS patients.

In what some here view as a radical proposal, Mandela has suggested that the current administration do a complete turnaround in its stance on AIDS treatment and drug availability.

"My proposal...is that (people should be told) we are too busy researching, but those who feel they can't wait for the findings must be free to consult with doctors," Mandela said at a press conference today.

Acting president Jacob Zuma, minister in the office of the presidency Essop Pahad, ANC secretary-general Kgalema Motlanthe and head of the ANC presidenct Smuts Ngonyama stood next to Mandela as he made his announcement.

President Thabo Mbeki was notably absent, as he was away in Australia at the Commonwealth Summit. Mbeki, who has been under fire for his views on AIDS and for his refusal to permit certain drug treatment for AIDS patients, especially for pregnant HIV-positive women, was the on the cover of Newsweek this week.

On the issue of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Mandela's stance is that the government should continue its "research" but patients at public hospitals and clinics should be allowed to make up their own minds about whether or not to take the drugs.

"We can't afford to debate while people are dying," said Mandela. "We must ensure our people are given the drugs to help them. This is a war."

The war against AIDS is foremost in the minds of most South Africans these days. But as I've made the rounds here in South Africa - from Johanesburg, Soweto and Durban to East London, the village of Qunu in the Transkei (Mandela's birthplace), and Capetown, I've discovered a country with extremely warm people and breathtaking beauty... and vestiges of another war - Apartheid.

With a constitution barely 7 years old, South Africa is a nation with great promise. But things have changed since Mandela left office. Many see the balance of power here as something that will take a long time. Its a different sort of racial tension that simmers here. Something that I will cover in part two of this report from South Africa.

As for Mbeki, following in the footsteps of a living legend is impossibly difficult. But when you make it policy to block potential solutions to what has become the world's greatest epidemic, you don't ingratiate yourself to the world community. The general sentiment here is that his views are out of touch.

It is this kind of head-in-the-sand mentality that has finally made Mandela speak out. And with the Zimbabwean elections less than a week away, the announcement could have been planned for when media attention was riveted on Mugabe. Mandela, who blamed Mbeki's absence on his hectic schedule, timed his statements for full impact.

"The problem is the prseident is too busy, both with internal and external affairs. The task now of leading on the question of AIDS falls on the deputy president," said Mandela, indicating to Zuma, who sat to his right.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), which is currently involved in a court case to to force the government to provide antrretrovirals to pregnant women, welcomed Mandela statements.

Copyright © 2002 Article by Cheo Tyehimba. All Rights Reserved.

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