President Thabo Mbeki's decision to dismiss South African deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge last week has rebounded on him politically by provoking a round of broader political criticism. The immediate issue was her failure to get government permission to go to an Aids/Hiv conference in Spain.
Her capable pursuit of the policy in place since 2003 to halve new cases of the disease affecting one fifth of the population and treat 80 per cent of its victims by 2011 has widespread support. But it antagonised her boss Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang who is sceptical about the causes, extent and treatment of the disease and is a conspicuous Mbeki loyalist. She insisted her deputy must go.
The affair has drawn attention to Dr Tshabalala-Msimang's own personal record in office - including reports that she abused regulations about drinking alcohol when she received a liver transplant. In shrugging off calls to dismiss her yesterday Mr Mbeki reinforced the impression that he puts loyalty ahead of competence. It also draws attention once again to his own previous denials that Hiv causes Aids and his refusal to warn about the dangers of unprotected sex. This comes when he is seeking a nomination to lead the African National Congress for a third five-year term at its conference next December. Although he cannot stand for a third time as South Africa's president in 20 months time, as ANC leader he would hope to control the political agenda and thereby his successor in that office.
In these circumstances Mr Mbeki's critics within the ANC and in the opposition have become more vocal. Questions are being raised about flaws in his political judgment and his reducing authority. A wave of strikes and industrial disputes this summer coincided with louder criticism of government economic and social policy from the left of the ANC's alliance, in the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party. They say the government's privatisation of state companies and failure to deal with continuing widespread poverty need urgent review, notwithstanding a recently renewed ANC commitment to existing pro-market policies. Ms Madlala-Routledge has recently been elected to the communist executive, while Mr Mbeki's former deputy Jacob Zuma is seeking the ANC's presidential nomination. There has been parallel opposition criticism of his foreign policy positions, including kid glove treatment of Mugabe's Zimbabwe and sympathy for China.
Mr Mbeki's dismissive response and his view that the sacked minister is a loner incapable of political discipline reveal a leader impatient with criticism, yet determined to hold his position. The ANC remains a powerful alliance between different political forces and interests. Its strength and continuing appeal crowd out opponents and it seems destined for a further lasting period in power. If that is so, it is good to see its record and strategy openly and vigorously debated internally as well as externally.