Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association (Johannesburg) - June 25, 2002
Government was working on the assumption that nearly a quarter (250000) of all South African public servants would die as a result of Aids within the next 10 years, he said.
It was also assumed there would be between 11000 and 13000 new infections in the public service each year for the next five years.
This was according to projections in a report on the impact of HIV and Aids on the public service, commissioned by Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in 2000.
However, the minister had steadfastly refused to release the report, Waters said in a statement.
Public service ministry spokeswoman Tembela Kulu told Sapa on Tuesday the report was for internal reserach and had no status in government. She declined to comment futher.
Quoting from the report, Waters said the infection rate among teachers stood at 14 percent, and was set to increase to 30 percent in 10 years. The rate among social workers was 16 percent, and this would increase to 31 percent in the same period.
Student nurses were the worst affected within the health sector, with 29 percent being infected, rising to 40 percent by 2012.
The provinces worst hit were KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, with infection levels of 17 percent and 16 percent respectively, followed by the North West and Free State with 14 percent.
By 2012, Mpumalanga would have the highest infection rate of public servants -- at 28 percent -- followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Province with 25 percent each, and the Free State with 24 percent.
"As usual, the ANC's attitude is that bad news of this nature is a negative reflection on government and therefore must be hidden," Waters said.
Waters said other startling statistics showed that currently one in 10 public servants were HIV positive, and this was expected to double to one in five over the next three years.
Levels of infection were highest in the 25 to 34 year age group, where they were projected to be about twice the levels of public servants overall.
The infection rate among highly-skilled employees was currently at eleven percent, and this figure was set to double to 22 percent.
Provinces employed 70 percent of all public servants, and the report clearly stipulated that 64 percent of provincial departments had no HIV prevention and education programmes.
"The department of public service and administration has failed since 2000 to take any steps to rectify this," he said.
While the DA recognised the report was only a projection, and that department had taken steps to implement some of the report's recommendations, "we believe that the most obvious recommendation is being woefully overlooked, and that is treatment".
The DA supported the department's efforts to create awareness around the pandemic in order to reduce the level of infection.
"However, at least 10 percent of the public service is infected right now and this is set to increase to 24 percent by 2012."
The government was quick to shout that it could not afford treatment for HIV-infected people, despite the fact that by providing treatment, a person could remain economically active and productive for up to 20 years, Waters said.
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