<http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/09/africa/safrica.php>:

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President Thabo Mbeki [of South Africa] has fired his deputy health
minister, who was widely credited with forging an aggressive assault
on the devastating AIDS epidemic this year after her superior, Health
Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, came under international criticism
for her position on HIV treatment.

South African AIDS activists called the firing of the deputy, Nozizwe
Madlala-Routledge, a setback to efforts to curb the spread of AIDS by
expanding prevention and treatment. South Africa has one of the
largest HIV-positive populations in the world, but until recently, its
programs to provide drugs and counseling to people with AIDS have
lagged behind those of some poorer countries.

[...]

Madlala-Routledge ran into more trouble this month when news reports
revealed that she, her son and an aide had flown to Spain for an
international AIDS meeting at a cost to the government of nearly
$23,000. Her supporters said she had asked Mbeki for permission
beforehand and believed he had granted it or would grant it. He
refused permission and she returned home, apologizing for a breach of
protocol.

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