Organisations Call for Thabo Mbeki to Apologise for Disparaging Remarks About HIV/Aids

• Various organisations are calling on former President Thabo Mbeki to apologise for his recent comments about HIV/AIDS
• Mbeki is accused of making HIV denialist remarks during a Unisa lecture in Pretoria
• Some South Africans agree that Mbeki should apologise, while others feel he is being attacked for commenting on President Cyril Ramaphosa's failures

PRETORIA - Former President Thabo Mbeki is in hot water after making disparaging remarks about HIV/AIDS at the University of South Africa (Unisa) during a public lecture.

Various organisations have joined forces to call on Mbeki to apologise for making "disappointing" and "misleading" comments about HIV infections. The SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Progressive Health Forum, SA Committee of Medical Deans, SA Medical Association, and HIV Clinicians Society joined the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) 's call for Mbeki to withdraw his remarks.

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According to News24, the organisations accused Mbeki of resurrecting discredited propositions on HIV and Aids. They added that Mbeki's comments will fuel the stigma and denialism that health professionals and organisations have fought hard to eliminate.

Mbeki claimed that he did not see how HIV causes AIDS during his address. He also argued that testing HIV-positive does not mean a person has the virus.

"But there's a consequence to that kind of thinking which is when you go to test, and that test says HIV-positive … it does not necessarily mean you've got the virus," said Mbeki.

In response to the former president's remarks, Prof Glenda Gray, the president of SAMA, stated that Mbeki's comments were an insult to people infected with HIV, according to 702.

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"Finish and klaar… HIV causes Aids. We know this as doctors who worked on the frontline, who have seen people die from HIV," said Gray.

South Africans weigh in

@t_kgopa said:

"He should have kept quiet and not regurgitated the rubbish he used to utter; many people have died because of his policies, yet he does not even seem remorseful ."

@mahlantd said:

"He must be arrested.... imagine if he was a president during the Covid pandemic."

@Kathy57231586 said:

"At this stage, this is the last of SA problems! Call for getting stolen money back! Arresting all our criminal govt/public officials/ANC cadres that have stolen SA into the ground, that have given jobs to unqualified, forged degrees etc!"

@MolotoSteven said:

"They are trying to gag Mbeki from exposing Ramaphosa's failures."

@CynthMod said:

"This aids denialist is an abomination. His health minister prescribed beetroot and garlic for aids sufferers - she died despite eating them."

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Thabo Mbeki says SA needs good leadership to solve Mzansi's many problems in UniSA address

Briefly News previously reported that Former President Thabo Mbeki has slammed the government and South Africa's general society for the many problems plaguing the nation.

Mbeki made these comments during a lecture with students and diplomats at Unisa on Wednesday, 21 September.

The address coincided with the 14th anniversary of Mbeki's resignation as head of state following the African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee's decision to have Mbeki recalled.

Source: Briefly News