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The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), the highest body that advises government on HIV/AIDS, met in Durban, on Saturday, the 1st of February 2003.

The meeting, chaired by SANAC Chairperson, Deputy President Jacob Zuma, was attended by representatives of sectors including hospitality, labour, women, traditional healers, celebrity sector, the non-governmental organisation sectors, youth and government.

Government representation included the Minister of Social Development, Zola Sikweyiya, Minister of Education Kader Asmal, Minister of Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Deputy Minister of Finance Mandisi Mpahlwa and the Deputy Minister for Provincial and Local Government, Mantombazana Botha.

The meeting discussed a wide range of issues, including membership, restructuring of SANAC, location of offices and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The meeting:

* Approved the appointment of SANAC as a Principal Recipient of funding from the Global Fund. The meeting resolved that in light of the new SANAC responsibilities as Principal Recipient of the Global Fund, there is urgency for SANAC to boost its capacity with the necessary skills and people to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. This would also enable the Council to service sectors better.

* Emphasised the urgency of finalising the nominations for representatives of the various sectors, as the term of office of the current Council expires in March. Sectors were given a deadline of the 21st of February to submit names to the SANAC secretariat.

* Recommended the addition of representatives from other sectors including among other the Men's Forum, the business sector, academic sector and children/orphans.

The meeting was informed:

* That SANAC has been constituted into a legal entity and a SANAC Trust has been established.

* The SANAC Secretariat will move to new offices in Hatfield, Pretoria, next month. The secretariat had been located at the Department of Health since the formation of SANAC.

The meeting also received a report on the new Executive Management Committee (Exco), which has been established to implement SANAC decisions and respond to urgent matters which cannot wait for a full SANAC meeting. The members of the Executive Management Committee are the following:

* Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
* Minister of Agriculture, Ms Thoko Didiza
* Minister of Transport, Mr Dullah Omar
* Minister of Labour, Mr Membathisi Mdladlana
* Deputy Minister of Defence, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge
* Mr Thanduxolol Doro (National Association for People Living with AIDS
* Mrs E Levendal (Women's Sector)
* Ms L Nhlapo, Hospitality Sector
* Ms Joyce Pekane, Cosatu

The committee wild hold office until next month when new SANAC members are appointed by their sectors.

The meetings was informed that the SANAC Exco had approved the application of KwaZulu-Natal for funding from the Global Fund, subject to the province making certain amendments in its application, as agree upon in discussions with the province.

The next SANAC meeting has been scheduled for the 29th of March 2003.

Enquiries: Georgina Kenyon, Royal Hotel, 267 Smith Street, Durban, Tel: + 27 31 333 6000, E-mail: kenyong@who.int, Mobile: 09 41 79 509 0677

Issued by: The Presidency, 2 February 2003
Source: SAPA