HIV & TB Response

TAC Electronic Newsletter

 Contents
 

  • TAC comment on Matthias Rath’s withdrawal from defamation court cases
    • TAC calls on ANC and government to support Kader Asmal and demand Rath’s withdrawal of litigation against Asmal.
  • Pamphlet that TAC is circulating in Site C, Khayelitsha calling on people not to vote for an AIDS denialist candidate

Interesting web links:

 Contents

  • TAC comment on Matthias Rath’s withdrawal from defamation court cases
    • TAC calls on ANC and government to support Kader Asmal and demand Rath’s withdrawal of litigation against Asmal.
  • Pamphlet that TAC is circulating in Site C, Khayelitsha calling on people not to vote for an AIDS denialist candidate

Interesting web links:

TAC comment on Matthias Rath’s withdrawal from defamation court cases

TAC calls on ANC and government to support Kader Asmal and demand Rath’s withdrawal of litigation against Asmal

Matthias Rath has withdrawn most of the defamation legal actions he recently proceeded with, including against Health-e, Eric Goemaere and three others, Professor Jerry Coovadia and all parties involved in his case against Kader Asmal, except Asmal himself.

Rath is a charlatan who has promoted his own unproven treatments for HIV/AIDS as an alternative to antiretroviral treatment. He has conducted an illegal trial in Khayelitsha, Cape Town and distributed unregistered medicines in violation of the law. Rath has been directly responsible for the deaths of a number of people with HIV in the Western Cape. 

In an attempt to silence his critics, Rath proceeded with defamation actions against a number of media houses, journalists and individuals who had spoken out against his crimes. He has withdrawn from this litigation because he had no case in the first place: the allegations made against him were true and had to be published in the public interest. 

Rath is continuing his defamation against Kader Asmal. TAC calls on government and the ANC to defend Kader Asmal and to condemn Rath. Asmal is a veteran ANC member, ANC Member of Parliament, former Cabinet Minister and a hero of the struggle against Apartheid. His criticisms of Matthias Rath were in line with government and ANC policy. It is unfortunate that he has not received any official support from the ANC or government till now.

TAC once more demands that the Department of Health and Medicines Control Council take action against Rath. TAC has filed court papers against Rath, his agents, the Minister of Health, the Medicines Control Council and the Western Cape Department of Health in order to stop Rath’s illegal actions.

We are also awaiting judgment in a defamation interdict against Rath.

[END OF STATEMENT ON RATH’S DEFAMATION ACTION WITHDRAWALS]

Text of TAC pamphlet calling for Khayelitsha residents not to vote for an AIDS denialist

TAC is distributing the following pamphlet in Site C, Khayelitsha (in Xhosa and English) calling on residents not to vote for an AIDS denialist in Wednesday’s local government election.

DON’T VOTE FOR THERESA NOMAMFENE BHOTOMAN!

Theresa Nomamfene Bhotoman is the ANC ward candidate in Site C, Khayelitsha. 

She has helped with illegal and dangerous experiments on people with HIV/AIDS.  People have died because of AIDS denialists – those who do not believe that HIV causes AIDS. Bhotoman supports and benefits from AIDS denialism. Don’t vote for her!

Bhotoman works with Matthias Rath, a vitamin profiteer. Rath makes money off sick people by convincing them to take his untested, illegal medicines. 

Many of us are ANC supporters, but we will not vote for Bhotoman.  Her actions contribute to unnecessary death and suffering in people living with HIV/AIDS.. Together with Matthias Rath, she has helped convince people NOT to take life-saving medicines for AIDS. These medicines are called antiretrovirals. They could have got these life-saving medicines for free from public clinics. Some people died because Bhotoman and Rath convinced them not to take their medicines. 

Bhotoman did this in violation of ANC policy, government policy and South African law. She must not be elected.

Theresa Nomamfene Bhotoman cares only about enriching herself. She does not care about the people of Site C, Khayelitsha.

If you are an ANC supporter living in Site C, please don’t vote for Bhotoman. You can still vote for the ANC on your second ballot. We are only asking you not to vote for Bhotoman.

We call on the ANC, Cosatu and the SACP to withdraw their support for Theresa Bhotoman.
TAC is not standing in the local government elections. We do not endorse any candidate or political party. But we are campaigning for people not to vote for AIDS denialists like Theresa Nomamfene Bhotoman.

Demand Leadership on HIV prevention and treatment!
End AIDS Denialism!
Forward to a People’s Health Service!
Forward to Accountable Local Government! 

[END OF PAMPHLET TEXT]