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ON THE OFFENSIVE: Minister of Higher Education and SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande says he was 'slaughtered' at the time Thabo Mbeki was president when he spoke of a need to accept a scientific view on HIV/Aids. PHOTO: GCIS

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SACP secretary-general and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has attacked former president Thabo Mbeki, calling him "yesterday's Aids denialist" who has joined the bandwagon of those who opportunistically complain about a lack of leadership in the ANC.

In the same breath Nzimande defended ANC leader and businessman Cyril Ramaphosa on the recent e-mail saga, saying the incident of police killing mineworkers was being used against the ANC.

"It is indeed criminality, what is the plot about that?" he asked.

Nzimande said it was wrong to suggest that the lives of 34 Lonmin mineworkers killed on August 16 in Marikana were more important than of those killed before them.

"The killings are still continuing today and nothing is said," he said.

Though Nzimande did not mention Mbeki's name, he reminded Mbeki, together with embattled Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota, that in their time as leaders "they left a highly questionable legacy".

"None of yesterday's Aids denialists must come and lecture us today on leadership when they have not accounted for the hundreds of thousands of deaths they left behind by refusing to acknowledge that HIV causes Aids, and denying our people ARVs."

Nzimande, who never saw eye to eye with Mbeki while he was president, was speaking at the party's four-day conference of commissars, the equivalent of a political school, in Midrand yesterday.

He said he was "slaughtered" at the time Mbeki was president when he spoke of a need to accept a scientific view on HIV-Aids.

During his term in 2000 Mbeki was criticised for his stance on Aids and has been accused, with deceased health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, of turning his back on the scientific consensus that HIV causes Aids.

In further defending Zuma, Nzimande questioned the "demonisation" of Zuma, saying "every Tom, Dick and Harry, including the dead that have woken up from their graves were crying lack of leadership".

In a veiled attack on Dali Mpofu, who represents the injured Marikana miners and those who were arrested, Nzimande said: "Some of these so-called lawyers are specialising in discrediting the movement rather than doing their genuine legal work."

On Tuesday Mpofu told a commission of inquiry into the deaths of mineworkers shot during the Marikana strike that Ramaphosa had called for stern action to be taken against those who had gone on strike.

He described their actions as "criminal".

- nhlabathih@sowetan.co.za

WANT TO SHARE YOUR VIEWS WITH SOWETAN READERS? You can send your considered opinions on this story to the newspaper's email - letters@sowetan.co.za

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Fri May 24 16:52:09 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 26, 2012

Dubul'Amanzi

@ Lindsay Lol
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Oct 26, 2012

mjimara

The SACP and Blade have lost credibility in the eyes of many intellectuals and academics who are aware of what is happening in South Africa today as far as leadership is concerned. All of the sociaist who were selfless before acquiring power are now powerhungry and would do anything to cling to it. The situation today in SA would seem to be worse than it was in 2008 as a result of the tame socialist in SACP and COSATU.

Mbeki might have grossly erred on the HIV and AIDS correlation issue but he more credible as he was never implicated in any crimilnality before and during his tenure as president or leader in the ANC.
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Oct 26, 2012

LaliboyEC

I thought having a doctrate he would be smatter than this other airheads but i was wrong he"s just the same a bloody hauler who has done nothing for the Higher education
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Oct 26, 2012

Tasto_

@Webteam you keep blocking me maar why? Whats wrong calling BMW 7-series G,ucci communist ?

http://mg.co.za/article/2012-10-12-00-locals-left-out-of-sacp-mine-venture
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Oct 26, 2012

MommaC

At least Mbeki had an opinion. JZ just giggles
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Oct 26, 2012

Zabaragast

Dear Sowetan moderator. What was wrong with pointing out that this rollout is said to have been started under the Mbeki administration? Something that was not disputed by the ANC in Chikane's book?
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Oct 26, 2012

kutsukuyi

This Dude needs a plastic surgery to think straight so please people do not blame. I remember someone on Metro FM talk said he must go to Mozambique and look for his father. He needs some kind of a tradition because he is loosing his mind. Instead of looking at what is said by these people that are complaining about the lack of leadership, he attacks everyone who speaks against Mr Zuma.
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Oct 26, 2012

kutsukuyi

@MommaC LOL
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Oct 26, 2012

mjimara

I am so disillusioned in SACP, COSATU and SANCO who used to be the people's neutral voice to cushion against the abuse of power. Now, they have joined the abuse of power bandwagon. They are all quite on court orders being ignored and disrecpeted left, right and centre. It is sad. They are complicit. How cold Blade blatantly condone the killing of miners - today he does not have a heart! He should be out there defending the blood of the working class but he is in cahoots with capital!
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Oct 26, 2012

warry

Hahaha, bua Komanisi. Tell them.
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