Minister Mapisa-Nqakula takes political responsibility for existence of Interferon in SA
As probes continue into the illegal importation of a drug from Cuba, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said that she took political responsibility but absolved herself of non-compliance.
The first consignment of the drug worth about R260 million landed in South Africa last year, together with Cuban medical personnel.
The drug is not registered for use in SA and the South African National Defence force only applied to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for authorisation for its bulk use months later, when it was denied.
The minister said that she was misled but only took some responsibility as the political head.
“If there was non-compliance with the law by way of your detail in terms of your PMFA, I can’t take responsibility for that because it has nothing to do with me. But political responsibility for the existence in the country of the Interferon, I can never say that I did not know about it. I knew about it.”
An inter-ministerial committee has been appointed by Mapisa-Nqakula to further probe the matter.
-EWN
In other news – Photos: Pretty (Lerato Marabe) from Skeem Saam gets married
Its wedding bells for Skeem Saam actress Lerato Marabe who plays Pretty Seakamela on the soapie – younger sister to Clement Maosa’s Zamokuhle Seakamela and Innocent Sadiki’s Sthoko.
It’s been reported by several publications that the actress got married traditionally over the weekend. Learn More
