[please read the following update on the latest political turmoil in South Africa, courtesy of aidsmap, then TAKE ACTION]
South Africa is in turmoil over AIDS again this week, following the sacking of Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge by President Thabo Mbeki. His reasons? She attended an International AIDS Vaccine Initiative conference in Spain to argue for South African vaccine research without his permission, and criticised conditions in South African hospitals.
But underlying this spat is a struggle for power in South Africa not just over AIDS policy, but over control of the ruling ANC and the future direction of the presidency. Mbeky is due to relinquish the South African presidency in 2009, but is attempting to perpetuate his influence by retaining the presidency of the ANC, which comes up for re-election in December 2007.
In June the South African AIDS Conference heard optimistic messages about the future direction of AIDS policy in a country where government has all too often had its head firmly in the sand over the last decade.
Madlala-Routledge was instrumental in this sea-change, afforded the opportunity by the hospitalisation of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for a liver transplant. Doctors say the transplant was needed due to auto-immune hepatitis, but South Africa has been entertained and appalled this week by stories of another hospital stay by the Health Minister, during which much alcohol is alleged to have been consumed.
When Manto came back to work in June, she began to make life difficult for her deputy, Madlala-Routledge claimed in a one hour press conference last Friday. Madlala-Rotledge believes Manto set about isolating her from information and influence, using every opportunity to undermine her.
In late July Mbeki was said to be keeping out of the dispute, but less than three 
weeks later Madlala-Routledge was sacked, for not being a team player. Zackie Achmat of the Treatment Action Campaign told a South African newspaper to follow the money: Manto had used the threat of her husband’s influence (he is treasurer-general of the ANC) to get her way. Mbeki needs Msimang’s support in his bid to retain control of the ANC, but is also stubbornly resisting admitting that his Health Minister’s perverse approach to AIDS has been wrong right from the start.
Ironically, Mbeki’s bid to remove an opponent and appease a useful supporter may have done him huge damage. The influential trade union movement COSATU is concerned by the sacking, TAC has promised a series of national protests and few could be heard defending the President’s decision this week in South Africa.
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