Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - August 25, 2006
"The ministry of health reiterates its position that the minister of health will not resign," read a statement issued in the afternoon by her spokesperson, Sibani Mngadi.
The six parties voiced their appeal in what was described as a multi-party petition signed by their chief whips.
The six are the Democratic Alliance, the Independent Democrats, the African Christian Democratic Party, the Freedom Front Plus, United Democratic Movement, and the National Democratic Convention.
"All the parties in this joint initiative agree that the minister has caused enormous damage to South Africa's reputation and that her counter-productive ideas on HIV/Aids have led to unnecessary loss of life," the whips said.
Mngadi said the minister would stay on and her department would continue focusing on prevention in its fight against HIV/Aids.
The National Association of People Living with Aids (Napwa) also came out in support of Tshabalala-Msimang, saying the calls for her resignation were without substance.
Napwa said the Treatment Action Campaign, which led demands for the minister's removal, comprised a "rebellious and anarchist group of self-centred individuals".
The chief whips said it was common cause that the government was consistently underperforming on its anti-retroviral (ARV) roll-out programme.
As a consequence of this, at least 800 South Africans were dying each day from Aids.
The whips said the six parties believed the minister's lack of leadership and at times bizarre ideas had actively undermined any attempts to address this crisis.
"She remains one of the greatest impediments to fighting the epidemic," they said.
The TAC launched widespread protest action aimed at removing Tshabalala-Msimang from office.
Mngadi said in a statement there was still no cure for HIV and Aids, "therefore we shall continue to put emphasis on prevention as the mainstay of our response".
The budget for the comprehensive plan for management, care and treatment of the disease, of which Tshabalala-Msimang is in charge, had tripled over the past four years, he said.
It was just over R1-billion in 2002 and last year stood at R3,5-billion.
Mngadi said more than 175 000 people were receiving anti-retroviral treatment.
"This is the highest number of people put into anti-retroviral treatment by any government," he said.
During a media briefing earlier on Thursday following Cabinet's fortnightly meeting, government communications (GCIS) head Themba Maseko was asked whether Cabinet had discussed the numerous calls for Tshabalala-Msimang's sacking.
"It is not the prerogative of Cabinet to discuss the dismissal of any Cabinet minister, so the matter never arose for discussion," Maseko said.
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