South African Democratic Alliance Chief Whip Douglas Gibson Asks Thabo Mbeki To ‘Rid South Africa of’ Health Minister
South African Democratic Alliance Chief Whip Douglas Gibson yesterday said that President Thabo Mbeki should "rid South Africa of" Health Minister Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, after she reportedly invited a "well-known AIDS dissident" to speak at a Southern African Development Community health ministers' forum, the South African Press Association reports. The SADC health sector chaired by Tshabalala-Msimang invited Dr. Roberto Giraldo to speak on AIDS therapy and treatment at the forum scheduled for later this month. Gibson said, "The minister herself is an AIDS dissident and nothing and nobody seems able to persuade her to accept what the whole of the rest of the world knows: HIV causes AIDS." Gibson said that Mbeki should "re-shuffle" his cabinets and place Tshabalala-Msimang at a "remote diplomatic posting," so that her "opportunity to harm South Africa's good name and reputation would be lessened." Gibson added, "[Tshabalala-Msimang] could be replaced by a minister who would take the AIDS crisis seriously and really care about the millions who are affected" (South African Press Association, 1/9).
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