Address by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa at the launch of the Stigma and Discrimination Campaign, Gugu Dlamini Memorial Park, Durban
As we gather here today to remember Gugu Dlamini, we bow our heads in shame. For how, as a society, could we have allowed such hate, such brutality, to be visited on a person merely for having a virus. The story of Gugu Dlamini is one of courage, resilience and tenacity in the fight against HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
Gugu Dlamini lost her life because she cared about her people, because she could no longer live with a secret that robbed others of the opportunity to take notice. She no doubt knew that the disclosure of her status would be met with hostility in some quarters. After all, she had lived the silence and shame surrounding AIDS. She knew the quiet violence, silent suffering, secrecy and myths. She had witnessed the hopelessness of silence. Now, nearly 20 years later, we gather here to pay tribute to a courageous South African. We gather to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to underline how much further we still need to go.
The South African Stigma Index Survey being launched today reminds us that we have not yet defeated stigma and discrimination. It reminds us that there are people across our country who face harassment, prejudice and even violence. Sometimes discrimination is not overt. It could be a glance, a whispered remark, a social snub. There are times when people living with HIV internalise the stigma, undermining their own sense of self-worth and dignity.
It is for this reason that we are launching this campaign against stigma and discrimination. Together, stigma and discrimination can have a devastating effect on the lives of people living with HIV and on those closest to them. They undermine our efforts to tackle the epidemic. People are reluctant to test for HIV, to disclose their status, or to access treatment, care and support. People are reluctant to call on their family and friends for support and guidance.
This campaign will bring these issues out into the light. It will conscientise people. It will mobilise people. But the fight against stigma doesn’t start or end with a campaign. It starts with each of us, in our everyday lives, challenging our own prejudices and challenging the prejudices of those around us. It starts with recognising instances of discrimination and acting to stop them. It starts with challenging ignorance and fear wherever we may find it.
As we embark on this campaign, we need to acknowledge that many of the formations that must be at the forefront of this effort – the NGOs, CBOs and other sectoral organisations – are under significant stress. Funding, much of it from international donors, is being scaled down. This could have a profound effect on our response to HIV, AIDS and TB. We are therefore making a call today on the South African business community to step up to this challenge.
Many companies have done much to tackle HIV in the workplace, to provide testing, treatment and support to their employees. Now we are asking them to support the national response to AIDS through directing more of their corporate social investment to HIV, TB and health-related programmes. We would like to see business more prominent in this response.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we remember Gugu Dlamini. She wanted to live in peace and to be able to contribute to the health and wellbeing of her community. She had extraordinary courage in the face of stigma and a hostile society, to stand up and declare that she was HIV positive.
And so today, we must not mourn the loss of her life. We must celebrate her bravery and reward her sacrifice by joining the movement for social justice, social inclusion and equality. In her memory, we must continue the fight to ensure that her people – all her people – can live with respect and dignity.
In her memory we must bring hope. In her memory we must create a world free of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. In her memory we must inspire young women to draw strength from her example and to make positive choices. In her memory we must end stigma, we must end discrimination.
We must build a society of which we can be proud.
I thank you.
