Opposition political parties have lambasted President Thabo Mbeki for his statement in the United States that he personally does not know anyone who has died of Aids, and called for him to apologise immediately.
Mbeki’s spokesperson, Bheki Khumalo, reportedly confirmed on Friday that the president made the remark during an interview with the Washington Post newspaper this week.
Democratic Alliance spokesperson Mike Waters said Mbeki’s comments were highly insensitive.
”It adds insult to injury for the five million South Africans living with HIV/Aids, of which the majority cannot afford anti-retrovirals.
”It is clear that President Mbeki’s inner circle are rich enough to afford their own anti-retrovirals, and that the president has little sympathy or understanding of the epidemic sweeping our country,” he said.
Mbeki should climb down from his ivory tower and see the real impact HIV/Aids was having on South African society.
Actuarial models estimated that, by the middle of July this year, a total of one million South Africans would have died from the effects of HIV and Aids.
”This is equivalent to the entire population of the Buffalo City municipality [East London] being wiped out.”
Mbeki should issue an unequivocal apology immediately.
”He should tell South Africans that he is committed to a national roll-out of anti-retrovirals and that neither himself nor the minister of health will try to stand in its way,” Waters said.
United Democratic Movement spokesperson Nonhlanhla Nkabinde condemned Mbeki’s remarks ”in the strongest terms”.
”His utterances during this interview were insensitive, and only demonstrated to the world that he is an Aids denialist,” she said.
It was unacceptable for the head of state, who was supposed to take the lead in the fight against the epidemic, to make such remarks on the world stage.
”His remarks undermine the new commitment made by his Cabinet to provide anti-retroviral drugs to HIV/Aids patients,” Nkabinde said.
The Independent Democrats said in a statement Mbeki had embarrassed the nation.
At a time when 600 South Africans died daily of Aids-related illnesses, Mbeki’s statement ”shows that he is detached and oblivious to the plight and sufferings of the people of South Africa”.
”In the face of the economic evidence that South Africa is subjected to as a result of the HI virus, it is a shame to think that the country is run by a dissident,” the statement said. — Sapa