Hon Chairperson and hon members, there is no doubt that Minister Motsoaledi is the best thing that could have happened to the Department of Health in this country ... [Applause.] ... in terms of the progressive policies that he brought about. He has succeeded in what his predecessors went through without success. We have had instances where traditional doctors have had to be part of the teams in hospitals. He has had to dispel that, and make sure that scientific medication does not go along with all those other things. However, we have to plead with the Minister to desist from trying to bring all academic hospitals under his aegis at head office and leave them in the provinces where they are, whilst he will still exercise care, as he does in all other instances.
The problems on the ground include clinics not operating properly, and clinics that are closed on Fridays and that open again on Mondays, as if illness will only occur when the nurses open the clinics and will not when the nurses close the clinics, as the case may be. All of these are things that we want to believe the Minister, in terms of expounding his policy, would also look into.
We also want to appeal to people, particularly in the ruling party, to help the Minister to desist with the propensity of naming health institutions after great people, and thereafter these hospitals do not perform to the standard that those people lived up to. [Interjections.] [Applause.] Those are some of the things that also drag the names of these illustrious people in the country through the mud. We should realise that hospitals are meant to be manned properly so that everything goes well.
Finally, let us thank the Minister and the department for the efforts that they have made to ensure that, instead of people having to take approximately three tablets for HIV, they now take only one tablet. We want to say: Well done, Mr Minister. The UCDP will support the budget. [Applause.]