South Africa's AIDS play provokes controversy

The European Union (EU) has earmarked a total of 40 million rand (US$12 million) to foster AIDS awareness in South Africa. 14.27 million rand, approximately US$3.45 million, has been allocated by the Department of Health to fund "Sarafina 2," a controversial musical show about AIDS awareness written by Mbongeni Ngema. The allocation of such a large portion of EU funding to this one play has been strongly criticized. The funds could have instead been used to provide essential services. In response, the Department of Health claims that the money had not been subjected to the usual checking processes because the amount had been specifically dedicated to the production of the play. The EU ambassador, however, has reportedly stated that the play was never discussed and was not part of their program. The director of the AIDS directorate was out of the country when Ngema's tender for the play was accepted last August, and it was not until November that she learned about her department's sponsoring of the play. The health department has now forbade its employees from discussing the matter with the media. Minister of Health Nkosazana Zuma should expect a tough time when she goes before Manto Tshabalala's parliamentary portfolio committee on health which has been charged with investigating the matter. The committee will also review some of the accounting related to this issue.