UMENGAMELI Cyril Ramaphosa uthe iNingizimu Afrika ihlela ukusheshisa uhlelo lokukhiqiza imigomo yeCovid-19, uma amalungelo obunikazi bempahla (Intellectual property) exegiswa yiziphathimandla zokuhweba zamazwe omhlaba (World Trade Organisation).
Uthe uhulumeni wakhe ufuna ukuthi kuhoxiswe okwesikhashana amalungelo obunikazi bempahla athinta ukukhiqizwa kwemigomo yeCovid-19 (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Usho lokhu encwadini ayibhalela umphakathi masonto onke, izolo.
Ukumiswa okwesikhashana kwamalungelo uthe kuzosiza amazwe ampofu ukuze azikhiqizele imigomo azoyisabalalisa emazweni awo, njengoba umhlaba wonke ubhekene nenkinga yokuthi izinkampani ezinamalungelo okukhiqiza imigomo imvamisa okungezasemazweni anothile, ziyehluleka ukukhiqiza umthamo ozokwanela wonke amazwe kanti futhi imigomo iyabiza.
"Lesi simo senza ukuthi amazwe anothile aqhubeke nohlelo lwawo lokugoma, antulayo ahlale elinde ukuthenga umgomo kwacebile. Abantu emazweni antulayo bayafa kusalindiwe ngoba kunohlu olude lwabalinde ukuthenga," kusho uRamaphosa.
Uthe ngenxa yokuthi imigomo idingeka kuwo wonke amazwe kuholela ekutheni abakhokha kakhulu kube ibona abayithola kuqala.
"Imigomo kufanele itholwe yibo bonke abantu hhayi abakhokha kakhulu," kusho yena.
Uqhube wathi u-55% wemigomo yeCovid-19 ukhiqizwa eMpumalanga ye-Asia, u-40% ukhiqizwa e-Europe naseNorth America, i- Afrika ne-South America bakhiqiza imigomo engaphansi kuka-5%.
Uthe iNingizimu Afrika ingelinye lamazwe amahlanu e-Afrika akwaziyo ukukhiqiza umgomo weCovid-19.
"Yize iNingizimu Afrika isiyithengile imigomo okuzogonywa ngayo iningi labantu bese kuvikeleka abanye, kodwa sisesikhulu isidingo sokuthi nathi sikhiqize imigomo ukuze sizivikele," kusho yena.
Isiphakamiso sikaRamaphosa sokuthi kumiswe okwesikhashana amalungelo obunikazi bempahla sesekwa nawumengameli wase-America uMnuz Joe Biden nenhlangano yezempilo emhlabeni, iWorld Health Organisation (WHO).