Manto 'flies into tantrum'

2003-04-30 08:09

Marlene Malan

Cape Town - Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang allegedly swore at and threatened to assault a passenger on a flight from South Africa to Germany on Monday night.

The outburst came after the passenger, a German who has lived in Cape Town for 10 years, refused to sit next to her "because she is responsible for the death of thousands of South Africans".

A shocked Jentz von Wichtingen, 37, from Sea Point, said on Monday he was totally stunned when the minister told him twice to "fuck off" in front of a number of passengers and crew.

She allegedly stabbed her finger against his upper arm repeatedly, threatened him, told him she would hit him and said he should have stayed in Germany.

"When I took my seat in the business-class section on the flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town via Johannesburg, I recognised the minister. We would have been seated next to each other," said Von Wichtingen.

"I wondered whether I should say something because I do not agree with her Aids policy. I do not like to keep quiet about matters to which I am opposed and therefore decided to speak my mind."

'Stabbed at me with her finger'

He said Tshabalala-Msimang confirmed she was the South African minister of health when he asked her.

"I asked the stewardess whether I could sit somewhere else.

"The minister heard me and I told her I could not sit next to someone who was responsible for the death of thousands of HIV/Aids victims. She then told me to 'fuck off'."

Von Wichtingen said he asked her "is this the minister of health swearing at me like this and she told me to 'fuck off' a second time.

"I did not want to stoop to the same level and was moved to another row.

"Just as I sat down, the minister came up to me and nearly stuck her finger in my eye.

"She stabbed her finger against my shoulder and said she paid exactly the same amount for the flight as I did."

Von Wichtingen asked her to stop pointing her finger at him, whereupon she told him she could "hit" him with "something that sounded like a shoe".

Tshabalala-Msimang was barefoot at the time.

"She shouted very loudly and all the passengers were shocked by her behaviour. One does not expect this of someone of her stature."

Von Wichtingen said he was nervous because there was a long night ahead and he wasn't sure what she was capable of.

"I called the captain over and complained that she had verbally and physically assaulted me. The captain asked her to calm down."

There were no further incidents. "Luckily I was sitting in front of her. I did not have to look at her for the rest of the flight."

Jo-Anne Collinge of the department of health confirmed there had been an "incident" on the flight.

- Die Burger