United Press International - Sunday, 9 July 2000
Ed Susman, UPI Science News

In an impassioned speech prior to the mile-long march through the generally deserted streets of South Africa's third largest city, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, former wife of ex-president Nelson Mandela, criticized the pharmaceutical industry and the present South Africa's government. She castigated the drug industry's pricing policies, claiming the industry's game plan is "to make money off rich white people and to ignore poor black people."

And she ripped her own government, saying it "has become the obedient servant of drug companies ... We are marching to demand that a government we elected put the interest of its people before the profits of drug companies."

Madikizela-Mandela, one of 15 speakers who railed against the pharmaceutical industry for more than two hours before the march, referred to marches in past generations that led to the end of apartheid policies of South Africa a half-dozen years ago.

"We will march again and again until our voice is heard," she promised. "We are good at that. We brought down apartheid the only way we knew how."

The protesters gathered in front of City Hall of Durban, emblazoned with huge red ribbons, symbolic of the campaign against AIDS, under the watchful eyes of about three dozen officers from the South African Police Services.

"There seems to be a bit less than 5,000 people here," Capt. Lillian Ntshingila estimated. She and her fellow officers watched the proceedings in small knots at either end of the City Hall plaza, and then escorted the marchers.

The protesters carried numerous signs, including one that singled out Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of fluconazole, an anti-fungal agent used to prevent common devastating infections such as candidasis and crytococcal meningitis that often afflict persons with AIDS.

In a press briefing prior to the march, members of the Treatment Action Campaign -- the organizers of the protest -- presented data showing that fluconazole could be manufactured for as little as 15 cents a tablet. The data indicated Pfizer sells the drug for $6 a tablet.

Madikizela-Mandela demanded that her government use similar efforts as other countries have done to reduce drug costs. Protesters carried signs picturing William Steere Jr., chief executive officer of Pfizer. Above the picture were the words: "AIDS PROFITEER"; below the slogan: "Reduce price of fluconazole now!"

During Madikizela-Mandela's talk the crowd erupted, "Phansi Pfizer Phansi", (Down, Pfizer, Down).

She also denounced Bristol Myers Squibb, Hoffman-La Roche, Abbott and Boehringer Ingelheim, pharmaceutical giants that all produce expensive anti-AIDS drugs.

Marchers carried signs demanding "free treatment for people with HIV/AIDS"; "Drug Companies have bloody hands"; "We have a right to live. Provide drugs at affordable prices."

The marchers included mainly younger people, including bare-breasted African dancers, a contingent of traditional healers, transvestites and hundred of people wearing various T-shirts.--
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