Lucky Mazibuko expresses disappointment with the Treatment Action Campain's "double standards" because our leaders have not been more critical of Health Minister Barbara Hogan.

Lucky Mazibuko expresses disappointment with the Treatment Action Campain's "double standards" because our leaders have not been more critical of Health Minister Barbara Hogan.

Hogan has enabled far greater democratic functioning within the South African National Aids Council. Unlike her predecessor, she has prioritised the struggle against HIV-Aids and strengthened the state's response to the HIV and TB co-epidemics.

However, despite TAC's support for her, this has not compromised our independence nor prevented us from using litigation, mobilisation and denunciation to fight for our health and human rights.

In the past three months, the TAC has exposed and condemned the alignment between KwaZulu-Natal health officials and Aids denialist Matthias Rath. With the Aids Law Project, we have fought for and won the struggle for transparency over access to antiretrovirals in prisons.

Our leaders have taken a stand against Julius Malema's bigoted comments regarding rape victims, and we have conducted detailed research into essential healthcare in the Free State.

The TAC agrees with Mazibuko that the poor are still being denied access to proper healthcare. Our struggle continues.

Dr Rebecca Hodes

TAC, Cape Town