by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa is wary that indications foreign nationals are illegally transporting antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and other prescription medications to their countries could inflame Afrophobia.
Cabinet noted “buckets of ARVs and other medicines were discovered among the wreckage of a bus that killed more than 40 people earlier this week.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet reported that there was no documentation for medical cargo.
The bus was carrying citizens to Malawi and Zimbabwe when it was involved in the crash in Limpopo province, north of the country.
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, Minister in the Presidency, read the resolutions of the cabinet.
She said a full-scale investigation had been launched, and law enforcement agencies are also treating this accident as a potential case of pharmaceutical smuggling.
“The theft of prescription medicine, in particular ARVs, also undermines the fight against an HIV free region,” Ntshavheni read.
Cabinet called on foreign nationals to be “well-mannered guests” in South Africa and stated that this was a reminder to everyone that it took a lot of effort to stop the recent unsavoury treatment meted out against foreign nationals at local clinics.
“Unfortunately, the proof that confirms brazen theft of medicines from government clinics do not assist efforts to restore conditions for foreign nationals to access public health care,” Ntshavheni said.
Pressure groups in South Africa, including Dudula and March and March, have in recent months barred nationals of African origin from accessing public hospitals.
This is despite calls by the government for the groups to desist, as this is against the constitution.
Hopewell Chin’ono, Zimbabwean commentator, partly jokes, “South African government asks foreign nationals to be good boys and girls by being well mannered!”
Zimbabwe’s health sector has deteriorated over the years, alongside the economy.
– CAJ News