After years of HIV denial, in various assorted forms:
  • prime minister Thabo Mbeki and his hosting of alternative AIDS conferences;
  • governing party chief Jacob Zuma and his condomless rape of a woman he knew had AIDS, which small fact he didn't consider a problem because he showered afterwards;
  • health minister Tshabalala-Msimang and her advocacy that AIDS patients should simply get better by eating onions and beetrot;
after all that, South Africa now surprises the world with a new health minister who takes HIV seriously and calls for efforts against it.

Congratulations, South Africa. Way to go.

This all took place after Thabo Mbeki resigned:
Malegapuru Makgoba, vice-chancellor and principal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said that for the first time in years, South African academics were free to "state that HIV causes Aids without getting threats".

"It is a liberating experience," he said at the conference. "You don't know how long we suffered in bondage."

Former President Thabo Mbeki for many years suggested that HIV did not lead to Aids.

He resigned last month and his successor Kgalema Motlanthe quickly moved to name a new health minister.
Finally.