Mbeki blamed for 330,000 deaths


A prominent South African Aids activist has told the BBC former President Thabo Mbeki should be called to account for his decision to block HIV medication.

A recent Harvard School of Public Health study said 330,000 deaths were caused by his 1999 decision to declare available drugs toxic and dangerous.

Zackie Achmat said Mr Mbeki had ignored the scientific evidence.

Mr Mbeki's spokesman referred media enquiries to the government, but no spokesman was available to comment.

Mr Achmat, who leads the Treatment Action Campaign, which successfully lobbied for the eventual reversal of government policy, claimed Mr Mbeki had "blood on his hands".

He called for him to be summoned to a judicial inquiry or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

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