I read about the dismissal of our Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, above. Her sin was to take an unauthorised trip to Spain at a cost of R160000.

I read about the dismissal of our Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, above. Her sin was to take an unauthorised trip to Spain at a cost of R160000.

Why is she being treated differently? We all remember that Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka also spent taxpayer's money on an overseas trip in a private jet. That trip cost us R500000.

Madlala-Routledge was dismissed after she went on a trip that was going to help as far as HIV-Aids is concerned.

One is forced to agree that indeed there is a smear-campaign. It is written with golden letters that Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is not good enough for her post. Remember how she displayed beetroot and garlic during the HIV-Aids conference in Canada?

That was really stupid. She made our country the laughing stock of the world.

Mbeki rules by dismissing those who dare to differ with him. The move and timing from our useless president were bad. It was Women's Day, for heaven's sake!

Mashudu Magada, Tshikuwi