Mbeki’s government refused to accept the role the HIV virus has in the spread of AIDS, and his health minister stated that anti-retroviral drugs, which have been shown to have some effect in fighting the disease, were too expensive…Medical professionals working in the South African health service who publicly disagreed with the minister’s bizarre theories have been victimised." 
Serikali ya Mbeki ilikataa katakata kuona uhusiano uliopo kati ya VVU na UKIMWI, na waziri wake wa afya alijenga hoja kwamba hata dawa za kurefusha maisha, ambazo kwa kweli zimeonyesha kusaidia katika juhudi za kukabili gonjwa hili, zilikuwa ghali mno ... Wataalamu wa afya wanaofanya kazi nchini Afrika ya Kusini na ambao walipingana waziwazi na nadharia za kushangaza za waziri huyu walijikuta wakifanywa kuwa wahanga."