South African Press Association (Johannesburg) - March 31, 2003

"Therefore, issues of TB (tuberculosis) and malaria should not be overshadowed by HIV/Aids," she told a meeting of religious leaders in Johannesburg.

She would, in the coming months, visit Zimbabwe and Zambia as part of an awareness campaign.

Globally a million people die from malaria every year, with 90 percent of the deaths occurring in Africa.

However, as she continued to speak about malaria, a Dutch Reformed Church member shook his head and murmured: "Oh shame minister. What does this (HIV/Aids) got to do with malaria. People are dying everyday."

Tshabalala-Msimang was speaking at the launch of an interfaith programme aimed at combating HIV/Aids in South Africa. The initiative is dubbed "Faith in Action -- a United Response to HIV/Aids".

The minister urged religious leaders to encourage their followers to undertake Aids tests so they could know their status, and take proper action to deal with it.

"It's about yourself. So, it is important for each one of us to know our HIV status ... because if you don't know your status, you won't be able to focus on your nutrition."

Commenting on the Treatment Action Campaign's (TAC) civil disobedience campaign, she said every South African had a right to demonstrate.

"But as you do that, do not interfere in other people's activities. Don't disturb other people. Allow other people to do their things as well," she said.

The TAC embarked on the campaign earlier this month to force government to sign a framework agreement for a national HIV/Aids treatment and prevention plan. The TAC says the plan was agreed upon at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) last year.

Government has denied that such an agreement exists.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions initially described government's denial as "distressing", but later retracted the statement saying there was a misunderstanding. It said the document discussed at Nedlac had not been labelled an agreement.

On Monday, Tshabalala-Msimang told reporters: "There is no such agreement."

When pressed to clarify how far the negotiations had progressed, she responded: "Trust who you like. If you believe in the TAC, that's fine.

"Don't keep on asking the same questions. I'm going to give the same answers," the minister replied.

Meanwhile, Deputy President Jacob Zuma is expected to meet TAC leaders soon. TAC spokesman Phologolo Ramothwala welcomed the move but expressed concern about the meeting.

"It would be a step in the right direction," Ramothwala said.

"At the end of last year we also met the deputy president to discuss access to treatment, and still nothing has happened."

On Sunday, the SA National Aids Council issued a statement saying it had asked Zuma, its chairman, to initiate a process of engagement with the TAC.

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