By Angela Quintal
The government's revitalised HIV and Aids message appears to be the real winner, while Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge seems to have emerged unscathed - publicly at least - after outspoken criticism of her boss and the president.
With most of this week's media focus on her reported call for President Thabo Mbeki to take a public HIV test, the deputy minister was able to deflect attention from her other equally candid and arguably more damaging remarks in an interview with the London Sunday Telegraph.
These related to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Mbeki himself, who, she said, should bear some responsibility for the confusion on the proper way to treat HIV and Aids.
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If Madlala-Routledge received a private dressing-down for this and other outspoken views, nobody was saying on Tuesday.
Presidential spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga was not aware of any discussion between her and the president, nor was he aware of any intention to have one.
Mabel Dlamini, Madlala-Routledge's spokesperson, did not know of any talks between the deputy and Tshabalala-Msimang.
She also was not aware of any "dressing-down".
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko confirmed on Tuesday that Tshabalala-Msimang was still recuperating at home after being hospitalised in October for three weeks.
Tshabalala-Msimang's spokespersons did not respond to messages, but Maseko said the minister was expected to return to work in the new year.
He could not say whether the minister was in contact with her deputy, who admitted at the weekend that Tshabalala-Msimang had effectively gagged her from speaking on HIV and Aids.
Madlala-Routledge, who along with Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has become the new, less combative face of the government's HIV and Aids policy, put out a statement on Tuesday clarifying the more sensational aspect of her interview, that she had urged Mbeki to take an HIV test.
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