Motsoaledi to meet US representatives over funding cut

Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says he will meet with representatives of the US government tomorrow to discuss that country’s suspension of foreign aid.

US relief funding is currently active in seven districts in KwaZulu-Natal, five in the Eastern Cape, four in Gauteng and several districts in other provinces across the country.

HIV-AIDS programmes will be the most affected, as they have been the focal point of funding through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

Motsoaledi says US representatives requested the meeting.

” The US government, through their embassy in Tshwane, contacted us only on Friday, asking for a meeting. That meeting is going to take place on Monday and it’s only then that we’ll know what actually is on. Before that there was never any engagement and there was no information. Safe, the information we get from the NGOs who have been told to stop and written again told to continue for 90 days.”

Motsoaledi earlier said that South Africa still has enough international donors following Trump’s withdrawal.