Two Announcements

* The first public draft version of the COSATU/TAC Treatment Congress
report has been released. It can be downloaded from our website
(www.tac.org.za) as of 16:00 this evening.

The report contains the resolutions of the Congress. This is a draft
version and we welcome comments and suggestions for the final version. The
closing date for these suggestions to be considered is 23 August 2002.

Suggestions should be sent to info@tac.org.za or PO Box 74 Nonkqubela
7793.

The draft version is also available on request from info@tac.org.za.
Simply write REQUEST DRAFT CONGRESS REPORT in the subject line and
we will email it to you. We do not send attachments on this list, so
unfortunately we cannot include the report here.

THE DRAFT TREATMENT CONGRESS REPORT, CONTAINING THE COMMISSION
RESOLUTIONS, HAS BEEN TABLED AT NEDLAC.

On Thursday, 1 August 2002, TAC and COSATU met with Phillip Dexter, the
Director of Nedlac, to discuss the national treatment plan.  This was
followed by a formal letter, tabling the Congress resolutions at Nedlac.


* The TAC welcomes the following statement by Anglo American which commits
to implementing treatment with antiretrovirals where clinically indicated
for all employees.

ANGLO AMERICAN ANNOUNCES FURTHER STEPS IN ITS HIV/AIDS STRATEGY

PROVIDING ANTI-RETROVIRAL THERAPY TO EMPLOYEES WITH HIV/AIDS


The provision of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS has been
the subject of intense discussion and research within the Anglo American
Group over the last eighteen months.

Operating companies will now be encouraged to enhance their HIV/AIDS
wellness programmes by making ART available at company expense to HIV
positive employees who do not have an ART benefit through a medical aid
scheme and who have progressed to a stage of HIV infection where ART
is clinically indicated.  These companies will consult with both trade
unions and government on issues relating to implementation.

The progressive rollout will be coordinated across the group using
available health care facilities and according to well-defined protocols
with rigorous monitoring and evaluation.  The pace of the rollout will
vary at company level depending, inter alia, on the availability of
suitable company health infrastructure.  The first steps on a pilot
basis have already been signalled in terms of the AngloGold/Union and
Association agreement on HIV/AIDS signed on 25 July 2002.

It is accepted internationally that the magnitude of the health challenge
posed by HIV/AIDS, especially in southern Africa, is such that it cannot
be adequately addressed by individual companies or even sectors acting
in isolation but requires a partnership between all stakeholders.
Anglo American and its operating companies will, therefore, seek to
work with national and provincial governments and local authorities,
international donors such as the Global Fund, and appropriate NGOs
and communities in order that the public sector capacity is created
to extend ART delivery beyond the workplace to the broader community,
including dependents of employees and retired employees, who do not
belong to medical aid schemes with an ART benefit.

The costs to individual operating companies will depend on the level of
HIV prevalence, the rate of uptake by employees meeting the clinical
criteria for ART and on the prices and types of drugs prescribed.
It is anticipated that the prices of drugs will fall significantly as
usage increases and/or generic alternatives become available.

The operating companies expect to derive benefits from their HIV
programmes through extending the working lives of infected employees
and containing future AIDS related costs, including absenteeism, medical
expenses, pension benefits and the recruitment and training costs required
to replace employees who become too ill to work.

Finally, operating companies within the Anglo American Group will continue
to promote their substantial education and prevention programmes as it
is vital to ensure that the large majority of our employees who are HIV
negative remain so. One of the key benefits of a comprehensive strategy
with an emphasis on voluntary counselling and testing is that it promotes
the individual behavioural change that is essential to turn the tide of
the AIDS epidemic.

BACKGROUND

During the 1990's Anglo American developed a comprehensive HIV/AIDS
programme that covered both prevention and care of its employees suffering
from HIV/AIDS.	In the Anglo American Safety, Health and Environmental
Report of 2001 this was published as a strategy comprising the following
key elements.

Pursuing the HIV/AIDS prevention campaign with renewed vigour,
with special emphasis on partnerships and community interventions.
Establishing the prevalence of HIV infection at all southern African
operations through voluntary, anonymous, unlinked HIV prevalence surveys.
Encouraging large scale voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for
HIV infection in the workforce and in the surrounding community.
Linking VCT to a programme of care for people infected with HIV.
Implementing large-scale prevention and treatment campaigns for sexually
transmitted infections (STI's).  Implementing a formal system of HIV/AIDS
Reporting.  Conducting research into the effectiveness of the Group's
HIV/AIDS strategy.  Participating in HIV clinical vaccine trials.

HIV/AIDS wellness programmes are an integral part of the care and
support that are provided for individuals that are infected with HIV.
The elements of these programmes now comprise:

understanding the disease through intensive counselling and support;
encouraging a healthy lifestyle, with good nutrition; preventing and
treating opportunistic infections, especially TB; providing access to
appropriate and sustainable antiretroviral therapy (ART) when clinically
indicated.

Anglo American's pioneering work in the field of policy and advocacy
on HIV/AIDS has been recognised by a Commonwealth award for action on
HIV/AIDS in 2001.

[ENDS]