Barbara Hogan
With the change of leadership in 2009, Jacob Zuma appointed Hogan as the new Minister of Health, replacing Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. This was met with much relief for AIDS activists, who were resentful of Tshabala-Msimang’s refusal to acknowledge the benefits of ARVs. Upon her arrival as Minister, Hogan announced that “the era of AIDS denialism is over completely in South Africa,” and won many admirers for her subsequent work at the Department.
In March 2009 Hogan provoked harsh words from her own party after she had criticised the government’s refusal to grant the Dalai Lama a visa. Later in 2009, she was appointed Minister of Public Enterprise, making way for Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi to take over the Department of Health.