TAC Statement : Interfaith Service at St Georges Cathedral, 7 Oct 2001 Yesterday over one thousand people gathered in St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town, a traditional venue of resistance against state oppression in South Africa, to demand that the government: * implements a country-wide Mother-to-Child Transmission HIV Prevention (MTCTP) Programme, * develops a National Treatment and Prevention Plan to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic, * releases the Medicines Research Council report on mortality due to HIV/AIDS in South Africa and * stops denying the seriousness and urgency of the epidemic. The service was chaired by Hillary Morris, Director of the Black Sash - a veteran anti-apartheid organisation now concerned with issues of social development. Morris called for the introduction of a basic income grant by government and pledged the full support of Black Sash for the MTCTP campaign and the Treatment Plan. Dean Rowan Smith welcomed everyone to the Cathedral and called it the home of TAC and all people who fought for justice and equality. The service was opened by Thandeka Manthsi, a TAC volunteer and her child who lit a candle in the memory of all those who have died of HIV/AIDS. Reverend Renate Cochrane read messages from a range of organisations and in particular, a message from a women's HIV support group who called on the government to implement a country-wide MTCTP programme. Dr Mark Cotton, a paediatrician explained the frustration felt by health-care workers at not being able to provide essential medical care and having to witness unnecessary suffering on a massive scale. He called on the government to listen to healthcare workers and to drop the court case. Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane demanded "united and concerted leadership" to "work for a generation without AIDS" because our "nation is crying at too many gravesides". In asking the government to implement an MTCTP programme and to treat people with HIV/AIDS, he said: "The continuing policies of silence and denial, which withholds life itself, is unacceptable. It violates our Constitution, which guarantees life to all ... and for which many have already died in our struggle for freedom. When government stands in the way of our right to life, then government has trespassed its boundaries. All government, as scripture tells us, is derived from the rule of God." The Archbishop pledged the support of the Anglican Church to TAC campaigns on MTCTP and for a treatment plan. Cosatu President, Willie Madisha stressed how the state's denial is leading to the deaths of poor, working South Africans. He called on the state to settle the court case. Madisha said: "When we supported our government in the Court Case against the drug companies, we expected it to move rapidly to provide treatment for all people with HIV/AIDS. Instead, we have government delaying reports, debating that HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death. This is wrong." Moulana Farid Esack, to loud applause, criticised members of parliament, cabinet ministers and civil servants in the health department who persist in putting their own material interests ahead of the people who elected them and who they should serve. He criticised those who privately admire TAC, but publicly give support to the denial of the President and the wrong policies of the Minister of Health. Rabbi Hoffman pointed out that even though the South African government had missed an opportunity to be at the forefront in the fight against the global epidemic, it was not too late for it to acknowledge its mistakes and to change its policies. If it does this, civil society and religious organisations would work with government to fight the epidemic. TAC chairperson, Zackie Achmat thanked volunteers, staff and NGOs for dedication and commitment to the struggle to win treatment for all. He said that stigma and denial were killing people and appealed to the religious community to do more to educate people about prevention and treatment. The government has lost its way and it is up to every citizen to act morally. "Morality cannot be confined to sex or the number of sexual partners. Our morality must be based on the right to life, dignity and equality. A morality to prevent harm to ourselves and others, as well as the enjoyment of freedom by everyone in our society." Achmat called on the government to settle the case by announcing the roll-out of a national MTCTP programme. "If government fails to settle the case, not only would we go ahead in the courts but Cape Town and other cities should see the largest HIV/AIDS marches in support of TAC." The atmosphere at the Interfaith Service was one of anger and determination to restore dignity to all people, to build a decent healthcare system, to win antiretroviral treatment for people with HIV/AIDS and to hold government accountable to its people. There was also an optimism, signified by the magnificent protest songs that electrified St George's Cathedral, that a mass movement consisting of TAC, faith-based organisations, the labour movement and other civil society organisations has been established. A special thanks to Mandla, Thembeka, Nomfundo and all the volunteers who made the service successful.