Deputy Speaker, I have said it is an area that state investment can be recommended when we talk about the Active pharmaceutical ingredients. That is what is causing the competitive edge between South Africa and all other countries, that's what I'm saying. I haven't said there's any specific plan for that, I have said that that's the correct way that we would support, and that such investment should be done.
I've also said that the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority is working on a strategy of how to make sure the medicines are affordable and are cost- effective.
Now, I've also indicated that there's an issue with Treasury with how the Department of Health can participate in the level of manufacturing because of it being a procurer of the goods, the regulator and at the same time an investor. That is what we have said.
But if there should be any space within which there could be an opportunity for a state investment, that I would not have any objections to because all the countries that have had an
advantage over South Africa are countries that have had their own internal capacity to manufacture Active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The issues of corruption, I think we all agree here that we must fight corruption, we cannot condone that.
The issues of how the various state-owned entities - you can shake your head hon member - we don't want to beat about the bush, it is not acceptable and that I something that we have to work upon.
So, I think we mixing these issues unnecessarily because the question is: How do you make South Africa to be able to manage to get better prices for medicine? That issue we would have to fight to make sure that at the end, South Africa is able to achieve such. And that will mean that we have to look into the strategy that our regulator has got to be giving us; and, therefore, what it will take we'll recommend that it needs to be looked at.
It's not more about us wanting to get involved in the investment but it's more about if it is what will help us to get the prices fixed properly, then of course, there's no reason why not. [Time expired.]
But at the end of it the question is more on the Active pharmaceutical ingredients, that's what we're talking about.
Question: 89