Introduction

This chapter explores the many possible cases in which strategies may have been invoked by the South African government in their response to the AIDS epidemic. A number of incidences have exhibited elements of counter-offensive on behalf of the South African government. Some of the fiercest and most eloquently argued cases of counter-offensive denial have come in the form of anti-colonial sentiment as expressed by the Mbeki governments and in particular by Thabo Mbeki himself. These attacks have been predominantly structured around issues of colonial oppression and neo-colonial exploitation and effectively enabled Mbeki to bring the integrity of the West into question. Partial acknowledgment seldom goes beyond paying lip service to a problem. The chapter demonstrates that there have been a significant number of incidents that can safely be considered counter-offensive denial and partial acknowledgement.