Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - October 27, 2005
Ben MacLennan, Cape Town, South Africa
The call was made in a memorandum handed over at a demonstration by about 200 Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) members outside Uys's office in central Cape Town.
"We demand that you act before more people die," TAC said in the memo.
"At a minimum we expect you to interdict him from continuing his operations, but we see no reason why you cannot have him arrested."
The demonstration was part of a TAC campaign to stop what the organisation claims are the "illegal activities" of the Rath Foundation, which has been promoting its vitamin products as an alternative to Aids-fighting antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
TAC claims the foundation has been conducting unauthorised medical experiments in Cape Town's black townships.
TAC Western Cape co-ordinator Thembeka Majali said the province had led the way in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and the rollout of ARVs, but that Uys was now "failing us".
"We want to put more pressure on the health MEC for failing to stop this confusion," she said.
Uys should also respond to a letter from 199 health professionals, including some of the province's senior public health doctors, in which they expressed their concern at Rath's activities, she said.
TAC said in the memo that the National Health Act obliged him to act against Rath.
The memo was accepted on Uys' behalf by Dr Keith Cloete, acting chief of health programmes in the Western Cape, who told the protesters that he would hand it to Uys before close of business on Thursday.
Asked to comment on the TAC call, Uys' office referred to a statement the MEC issued on September 29 -- in response to the health professionals' letter -- saying the Medicines Control Council was already conducting an investigation into the Rath Foundation, and was the proper body to do so.
Uys said in the statement that any contention that the provincial government was not fully committed to a comprehensive HIV/Aids programme was "disingenuous".
Thursday's protest followed a march on Wednesday by about a thousand TAC supporters on the Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (CMH) in Mdantsane, after Rath Foundation newsletters were made available at three East London hospitals.
CMH senior medical superintendent Rajeev Eashwari confirmed that the newsletter had been made available in the hospital, but without permission.
Rath was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.
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