Wrong call

It may seem like a momentary lapse of reason, the firing today by the South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, of the Deputy Minister of Health in the South African government, Ms. Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge. In fact, thus is the consensus of most commentators and interested parties that the untimely departure of this singularly capable deputy minister is potentially a devastating setback for the crucial campaign against AIDS in a country where that illness is inflicting countless tragedy across the country with more than 5 million persons HIV positive. According to News24, the President has fired the wrong minister, which can be taken as a thinly veiled quip at the controversial Health Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, also somewhat mockingly known as Ms Beetroot after her infamous preference for beets and garlic as medication against HIV infection.

The recent history of national health care or rather the lack of thereof in South Africa has reached alarming levels, with the exception of private clinics. In fact, on issues such as the government action towards addressing the AIDS epidemic in South Africa there have been international response ranging from grave concern to outright condemnation. Ms. Madlala-Routledge has been an outspoken yet outstandingly effective protagonist for solid, scientifically based plans and actions towards improving the health care situation in South Africa.

It appears that the main cause for the sacking of Ms Madlala-Routledge can be found in her distinct contradiction to the approach from the Minister of Health and the President himself to fighting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in the South African population. At the surface, she was dismissed for taking an "unauthorised" trip to Spain in order to attend an AIDS conference. One would think a Deputy Minister of Health of the country where internationally AIDS has the second highest prevalence should be expected with full, official authorisation to attend such a conference.

In the 13 years since the change in political dispensation in South Africa, change has been constant and relentless. Yet, for all the hubbub, much of importance have gone decidedly sideways if not downright south. Education is in constant turmoil. Health care has given us this latest episode of bollocks. The Safety and Security ministry is a contradiction in terms with crime at near Colombian levels, if not as well-organised - thank God for small mercies.

In many ways one honestly can state without any smidgeon of disloyalty to God and country that all of the above are not what one has voted for in the run-up to 1994 and beyond. In fact, for all the hope and idealism of the time, with the wisdom of hindsight that vote seems to have become the wrong call.