Am I witnessing history?

John Butler takes a look at changing attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Manto Tshabalala-Msimang advocated lemon and beetroot as an alternative to antiretroviral treatment. The Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, addressed the conference.

27 October 2006: international volunteers from Holland, South Africa, USA and England gather around a coffee table at a house in Johannesburg. The time is 1am and we are manically making the last logistical plans for the Civil Society Congress beginning in just seven hours.

The lack of sleep is worth it when we see the conference running smoothly. Over the next two days, we listen to speeches by people representing HIV/AIDS pressure groups, the church, the unions and most notably - the government.

With 950 deaths and 1,400 new infections daily, it was important that progress was made in this Civil Society Congress. Of particular interest was how the government ministers would speak about the disease.

The Minister of Health, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who took international criticism in August for advocating lemon and beetroot as an alternative to antiretroviral drugs for treating HIV/AIDS, was sick in hospital. This gave the Deputy Health Minister, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the opportunity to attend the conference.

In a heart-felt speech, Madlala-Routledge spoke of how she had lost two cousins to the disease, and how the civil society and government working together would be key to improving the situation.

Following activist songs, the Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, addressed the conference. She is the highest ranked member of government ever to speak at a TAC event, and this in itself marked a huge shift by the government who had previously ignored TAC.

Mlambo-Ngcuka delivered a speech of hope:

“It is now the time to build a formidable partnership against the pandemic that is unstoppable. The World AIDS Day must be one of mobilisation, communication and co-operation.”

There was a real buzz around the conference and Zackie Achmat (TAC Chairperson), in a press conference a week later, summed up the change in government rhetoric by stating: “Aids denialism is dead in South Africa."

Have I been witnessing a new beginning in South Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS? If the words I have recently heard are turned into policy changes, which are then implemented, the answer will be a life saving yes.

If you want to volunteer for the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa follow this link or send an email to John@tac.org.za