Trump doesn't owe South Africa a cent, Motsoaledi tells MPs

Motsoaledi spoke in Parliament on Thursday during a debate on the impact of the US’s decision to withdraw funding for HIV/AIDS programmes.

An executive order from US President Donald Trump triggered the move.  

Motsoaledi reassured the public that the withdrawal would not affect the purchase of antiretroviral drugs. The government currently buys 90 per cent of these medications, with the rest funded by the Global Fund.  

"I want to make it absolutely clear that Trump owes South Africa nothing. He has made his decision, and that’s final," the minister told MPs. 

“The responsibility now lies with us to decide how to move forward.

“For me, this is a wake-up call for our country and the entire African continent. We must ensure that this crisis doesn’t go to waste," he said.

Motsoaledi explained to Members of Parliament (MPs) how the cuts to USAID and PEPFAR funding have impacted his department and its HIV/AIDS programmes.  

"Our challenge lies with the 95 target. Currently, we're still at 79, meaning there are many people living with HIV who are not on ARVs. 

“On February 25th, we launched a major program at Lillian Ngoyi Health Centre and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to identify an additional 1.1 million people who need to be put on ARVs. 

“We must achieve this by the end of November this year. This is the final stretch in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

“We cannot afford to falter, come what may, we must not waver. I do not want South Africans to undermine the progress we've made in tackling this crisis.

“Let me tell you, over the last 15 years, since we launched the world's largest counselling, testing, and treatment campaign, we've made incredible strides. 

We've reduced HIV-related deaths by 51%, and life expectancy has risen from 53 years in 2010 to 63 years in 2020.

“In just a decade, we've increased life expectancy in South Africa by 10 years - something unprecedented. 

As one of our leading global scientists, Professor Salim Karim, said, this progress is akin to the abolition of slavery. We've also reduced mother-to-child transmission from 0.86% to 0.39% between 2019 and 2024," explained Motsoaledi.

Meanwhile, DA spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation, Emma Powell, believes South Africa should be thankful for the aid it has received from the US and has raised concerns about the potential impact of the funding cuts.  

"For many decades, the US played a vital role in our economy as a key trading partner, investor, and global ally in the fight against HIV.

"We are deeply grateful to the American people, and previous US administrations for having supported millions of the most vulnerable South Africans with such care and grace for so many decades.

"Whilst it is absolutely the prerogative of the US administration to put America first, the immediacy of the aid termination, without adequate notice that allows African governments to implement contingency plans, is going reverse decades of progress made in the fight against AIDS, and is in my view, deeply inhumane.

"It is difficult to imagine that one group of South Africans could be offered refugee asylum by the same administration that has now cut access to life saving care that keeps hundreds of thousands of South Africans alive. 

"This action is simply not consistent with our longstanding, shared, democratic values," said Powell.

In his speech in the National Assembly, EFF leader Julius Malema rejected US President Donald Trump's claims that black South Africans would want to harm white people.

Malema said the majority of South Africans love and admire white people, constantly seeking their validation, so there is no reason for any violence against them in the country.  

"It’s not considered black talent until white people say so.

"Any political party without white endorsement will never receive electoral or financial support, no matter what the establishment dictates. 

"Just like the Cuban people, we will never give up our fight for freedom against American imperialism," said Malema.

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