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ANC to win elections despite AIDS discontent

    JOHANNESBURG

    South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), could win the national elections on Wednesday despite "discontent" over the government's HIV/AIDS policies on anti-AIDS drug provision and President Thabo Mbeki's past statements questioning the connection between HIV and AIDS.

    Although opposition parties have "sought to exploit" voter concerns about HIV/AIDS, the issue ranks below others such as crime and unemployment in determining which party voters will choose to support, the Washington Post reported.

    Nathan Geffen, national manager for the AIDS advocacy group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), said: "I don't think people are going to vote on the basis of HIV/AIDS issues. Most TAC members are ANC members, and I think most of them will vote ANC."

    Opinion polls show that the ANC could receive up to 70 percent of the popular vote and could gain control of all nine provincial governments.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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