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Motsoaledi defends Zuma

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday dismissed accusations against President Jacob Zuma that he damaged the fight against HIV/Aids after fathering a child out of wedlock.

"I am not sure why that statement is being made, because he is head of state and people are playing politics," Motsoaledi said on the sidelines of a media briefing in Johannesburg on Aids.

"But when we launched the World Aids Day, our slogan was, 'I am taking responsibility'... there are 50 million of us, each one of the 50 million must take some form of responsibility.

"Those of us who are old enough to take responsibility, if we all do this... then these types of blame against one individual won't be important for South Africa."

 Zuma was criticised for fathering a child out of wedlock, with the Democratic Alliance saying he had taken the fight against HIV/Aids back a decade.

The criticism was levelled after media revelations of his child with Sonono Khoza, the daughter of soccer boss Irvin Khoza.

The president came under fire during a recent trip to the UK with the media in that country describing him as a "vile buffoon" and criticising his polygamous lifestyle. – (Sapa, March 2010)

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