In a reply to a parliamentary question received today (included below), the minister of police has revealed that charges laid by the Democratic Alliance (DA) against Zeblon Gwala, a manufacturer of fake Aids treatments, have been dropped.

This is very concerning particularly as the DA's information is that Gwala is continuing to sell his product. We will be writing to the Director of Public Prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal, Advocate Shamila Batohi, to ask her to provide the grounds on which she made this decision.

Zeblon Gwala is one of many fake doctors who have ridden on the back of South Africa's Aids denialism period to make fortunes out of people's illnesses. In 2006, the DA laid charges against him for fraud, as well as for contraventions of the Medicines Act, which clearly stipulates that one may not claim that any product can cure an illness, unless it has been scientifically proven that it can.

The DA has on several occasions attempted to follow up on this case, which we believe to be a clear-cut case of breaking the law. Most recently, last year, we were told that the file had been "lost". This resulted in us posing the question which has been answered today.

Gwala makes uBhejane from a "secret" recipe, and refuses to disclose these ingredients or submit the product for independent testing. He sells it at a cost of about R400 a month, and tells patients they must choose between his products and anti-retrovirals. He therefore effectively gives people a death sentence.

It is not clear from the answer when this decision was made. But it is clearly reflective of the Aids denialist era where there was free license to sell anything to people suffering from HIV, as long as it was not "poisonous" ARVs. We will not let this matter rest. In an environment where so many people are desperate for answers, we cannot let greedy opportunists take advantage of them.


36/1/4/1/201000080
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO 438

DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 5 MARCH 2010
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 6- 2010)

Date reply submitted: 23 March 2010

438. Mr M Waters (DA) to ask the Minister of Police: (Interdepartmental transfer on 05 March 2010)
Whether the case against a certain person (name furnished) for contraventions of laws relating to medicines control, laid with the SA Police Service in Pinetown on 8 March 2006, has been concluded; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what was the outcome?
NW512E
REPLY:
Yes, SAPS Pinetown CAS 250/03/2006 has been concluded. The docket has been filed as withdrawn after the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute anybody in this matter.