South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) on Tuesday said Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang had neither the political will nor competence to tackle HIV/AIDS.
The comment follows an article by the local Sunday Times newspaper that Tshabalala-Msimang will enlist the services of AIDS dissident Roberto Giraldo for the government.
However, the minister's spokesperson, Sibani Mngadi, said Giraldo would only be consulted about the correct nutrition for people with HIV/AIDS.
"Whichever way Tshabalala-Msimang puts it, this is still an unacceptable slap in the face for all South Africans living with HIV/AIDS," TAC national manager, Nathan Geffen told the UN news service PlusNews.
Meanwhile, opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has called for the health minister's resignation.
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