Baleka revealed that Comforter’€™s Healing Gift (CHG) was operating from premises in Uitenhage with an outside sign proclaiming: ‘€œOur mission is to fight AIDS-related illnesses’€.

Baleka, who was accompanied by a Rhodes journalism student posing as her daughter, said CHG promoter Freddie Isaacs had personally attended to them. Baleka told Isaacs that her ‘€œdaughter’€ had tested HIV positive.

According to Baleka Isaacs then claimed he had medicine ‘€œfor curing AIDS’€.

‘€œMr Isaacs showed us tablets and explained that they clear HIV from people. He gave us the tablets and they were in a carton with a label ‘€˜CHG tablets’€™ on it. Mr Isaacs explained that each bottle cost R210. Mr Isaacs also had a black mixture which he said cost R20 per bottle. He explained that this black mixture also cured AIDS,’€ Baleka said in her affidavit.

Baleka said that Isaacs had told her that all of it came to him in a dream, that a particular plant would cure people of AIDS.

‘€œMr Isaacs said that he had cured a lot of people. Mr Isaacs said that if Nompumezo (the student) used these medicines and went for a CD4 test, the doctor would never says she’€™s HIV-positive again. Mr Isaacs said that we should not have to use ARVs because they do not help,’€ Baleka claimed.

She added that Isaacs had stated that Qunta, ‘€œa lawyer’€, was one his directors and that the heath minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang had been at the launch of the product.

Baleka said there were photographs on the wall showing the minister with Isaacs.

Baleka also said she was aware of a woman in her community who had died while using the products.

This week the TAC filed a formal complaint with the Public Prosecutor against Qunta, Isaacs and the company.

However, the TAC refused to back down when sent a letter from Qunta’€™s lawyer telling them to stop defaming her and publishing falsehoods.

Qunta, a lawyer and deputy chair of the SABC board, has admitted to her directorship of Comforter’€™s Healing Gift, a company selling an alternative remedy that is being promoted by some as an AIDS cure.

However, in the face of the lawyer’€™s letter the TAC reiterated its views that Qunta promoted pseudoscience and that, as a director on Comforter’€™s Heath Gift’€™s board, she bore responsibility for the AIDS profiteering of the company.

‘€œShe is consequently unfit to be lawyer, a member of the SABC board, a member of the Presidential Task Team on African Traditional Medicines in South Africa or to hold any public office whatsoever,’€ the TAC said.

Qunta Incorporated employees refused to receive a letter from the TAC outlining the complaints. TAC members had to place the letter in Qunta’€™s building post box.

In its complaint TAC accused Qunta and Isaacs of breaching the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act.

The TAC stated that according to the Act:

–                 Section 14 prohibits the sale of medicines eligible for registration with the Medicines Control Council which are not registered;

–                 Medicines for which antiviral effects are claimed are eligible for registration with the MCC;

However, the claim that a medicine treats or cures HIV or AIDS renders it an antiviral but the medicines sold to Baleka are not registered with the MCC.

According to the TAC this means that the medicines sold by Isaacs are therefore prohibited in terms of the Medicines Act and is illegal.

The TAC has called for CHG, Qunta and Isaacs to be investigated:

• in accordance with Section 20 (which prohibits the publication or distribution of false of misleading advertisements or unauthorized claims concerning any medicines)
• for breaching the labeling requirements for medicines as specified in the Medicines Act and its regulations;
• to determine if they are licensed or registered to act as medical practitioners. ‘€“ Health-e News Service.