Hon House Chair, Minister, Deputy Minister, our colleagues in the House, our guests in the gallery, allow me Minister to congratulate you and your team on your appointments. In the state of the nation address debate the President spoke about a dream, and yes indeed, 57 million people in South Africa have been dreaming and they have been dreaming for a better equal health care in South Africa, and despite 25 years into democracy, many of our people continue to be deprived of that right of equal health care in South Africa. Some are privileged and others are not and as if, if you are poor or underprivileged, your life has no value or if you have or you are privileged, then your life is valued more, that is what the impression is. But also there seem to be the perception out here that private health care in South Africa is excellent service, but I beg to differ on this.
Time and time again I get complaints and concerns from the general public that private health care facility and how poor the service is. So, there are challenges both in the private sector and in the public sector. One of the challenges we as the NFP has identified is that in the appointment of the MECs, CEOs, director-generals and
deputy director-generals, particularly at provincial and local level, those at national level like Ministers I think have very little or nothing to do with it, but it is the national department that has to account for it.
One ideal example is what I have heard from the former MECs from the Western Cape, she said how well they perform in the Western Cape and how well they are going to provide the services but I can tell you that if she goes on a tour with me for just one day, I will show her what the conditions of health care is in the Western Cape. [Interjections.]
Minister, it clearly shows that if you don't have a role to play in appointing these MECs this is what you get, hey don't know what's happening in their own areas, but they are going to come out and tell you how brilliant a job they are going to do. Let me tell you, let us be honest, the challenges that we face exist countrywide, there is no doubt about it. We have challenges countrywide, but those were some of the reasons why we face what we face. One of the concerns that we have is that the 15-24 age group, HIV new infection are still at about 12 000 per week, which is extremely high. We believe that antiretrovirals, ARVs, 11:42:42is the temporary solution, it is not the ultimate solution.
The preventative measure should be rather considered more important because we can't be continuously rolling out ARVs, we need to see what is going ... I know I have a different idea why there is HIV and where it came from ... to some of my other colleagues. That is my view, I personally believe it is manmade, that is why we are where we are today. I honestly don't believe that is has anything to do with ... [Inaudible.] [laughter.] ... that is clearly my ... [Inaudible.]
I think there need to be greater oversight not only by the committee but by the department because what we find time and time again, we have gone on oversight as the Portfolio Committee on Health. I mean, why is it that there need to be a stop out and the only time you find out about it it's in the media. [Time expired.] ... anyway, the NFP fully supports the vote.