There was no HIV then and people were

. There was no HIV then and people were dying because the health system was not well-developed," he said.

According to the United Nations, South Africa's life expectancy in 2006 was 51 years for males and 56 for females.

Statistics from 2007 show that 34,8percent of all deaths in the country can be attributed to HIV-Aids and TB. The 35percent of absenteeism was related to the diseases. He said he was worried about the number of women who died from HIV.

"Their death is not biological. When they are born, it is clear that men have a higher rate of HIV infections. When they reach the age of having children, women have more HIV than males."

Motsoaledi said that when his department analysed 59percent of maternal deaths that occurred between 2005 and 2007, they found that 79percent of the mothers were HIV positive.

At present KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of HIV-Aids infections in the country, while Western Cape has the lowest number.