As the state grappled with protocol involved in former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang's official send off, conflicting messages and tributes regarding her contribution to the Aids pandemic continued to pour in through Thursday.

While her political colleagues and trade unions lauded her for sacrifices she made for the country and her tireless efforts to improve the public health sector, international media and the Anglican Church berated her for her Aids policies.

Related news:

  • Manto selfless - Mbeki
  • Will radio DJ apologise?
  • Manto's death a 'signpost'
  • 'We owe our lives to Manto'
  • Allies hail 'leader' Manto
  • 'No comment' from Mbeki
  • Tshabalala-Msimang passes away

    "Let us use the death of Dr Tshabalala-Msimang as a milestone on our journey, a signpost towards a future with an Aids-free South Africa," said Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.

    It was with an aching heart and deep regret that he recalled the HIV/Aids policies the former health minister pursued.

    "We also honour the countless thousands who in consequence died during this time, and stand in solidarity alongside those who grieve their all too often untimely loss," Makgoba said in a statement.

    International media on 'failure'

    Various international media echoed Makgoba's words, with the New York Times saying the estimated number of HIV-infected people in South Africa "climbed to more than five million, more than in any other nation" while Tshabalala-Msimang was health minister.

    The Los Angeles Times said her "Aids denial" and failure to provide treatment had been blamed for more than 300 000 unnecessary deaths. It recalled that her advice to sufferers to use a concoction of fruit, vegetables and herbs instead of antiretroviral drugs had won her international derision as "Dr Beetroot" or "Dr Garlic".

    The British Telegraph said she and former president Thabo Mbeki bore "key responsibility" for government's delaying for years the distribution of antiretroviral drugs.

    "Their stance has now been repudiated by Jacob Zuma's new government, but its legacy will endure for decades," the Telegraph wrote.

    The BBC also recalled her "Dr Beetroot" tag, saying she had maintained that antiretroviral drugs were too expensive and had possible harmful side-effects. It also cited the figure of 300 000 deaths, drawn from a Harvard University study.

    PAC blames ANC

    Taking a different stance was the Pan Africanist Congress Youth League, which said the blame for controversial HIV/Aids policies should be placed with the ANC.

    "Our people should be reminded that Tshabalala-Msimang was not developing policy by herself, but she was implementing and defending ANC policy. The masses of our people and the media should be reminded that it's the ANC that has been running government since 1994, therefore everything good and everything bad that happened should be blamed squarely on the ANC," a statement read.

    They thanked her for trying to bring medicine prices down and for her role in the liberation struggle.

    The SA Council of Churches (SACC) urged South Africans to recognise her contribution to the country's liberation.

    "We call for SA to recognise the contributions of this woman who joined the struggle for liberation in her twenties and went on to achieve educational expertise in the field of medicine in the most difficult circumstances," said SACC president Tinyiko Maluleke in a statement.

    Read Gareth Cliff's comments and reaction to his words on page two!