Opposition parties have condemned an incident on an international flight during which Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang allegedly became abusive and swore at a fellow passenger.
According to Wednesday’s Die Burger newspaper, the incident occurred on Monday evening’s late night flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town, when passenger Jentz von Wichtingen refused to sit next to the minister ”because she is responsible for the deaths of thousands of South Africans”.
Von Wichtingen, who lives in Cape Town, apparently recognised Tshabalala-Msimang and asked a stewardess for an alternative seat on the plane.
The incident then occurred after Tshabalala-Msimang overheard Von Wichtingen, Die Burger reported.
In a statement on Wednesday, Democratic Alliance (DA) health spokesperson Sandy Kalyan said the time had long since gone for President Thabo Mbeki to fire Tshabalala-Msimang.
”Surely among the ANC’s almost 300 members of Parliament there must be someone who would be less of an embarrassment to South Africa, someone who could do a better job.
”We are still waiting for Minister Tshabalala-Msimang to apologise for raising groundless fears about the safety and effectiveness of nevirapine. She should add to this, by apologising to the passengers who witnessed her reported behaviour on this flight.”
Kalyan said she should also apologise to the South African public for conduct unbecoming a member of Cabinet.
But unfortunately an apology, welcome and overdue as it might be, ”will just not cut it anymore”.
Mbeki had a leadership role to fulfill. South Africa deserved better than having ”motor-mouth Manto” as its health minister — she must be fired, Kalyan said.
In another statement, United Democratic Movement spokesperson Nonhlanhla Nkabinde said: ”We find it quite surprising that the minister should express such indignation when confronted with a simple statement of fact that she is directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of HIV/Aids sufferers.”
”Once again, the minister has demonstrated with her unbecoming behaviour that she is unfit to serve in Cabinet,” Nkabinde said.
Tshabala-Msimang’s spokesperson Sibani Mngadi, who was with her on the flight, is on leave and was not available for comment.
However, his colleague Jo-Anne Collinge confirmed that she was aware ”an incident” had occurred on the flight, but had not yet had an opportunity to speak to the minister. – Sapa