Deputy President Paul Mashatile, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), will on Friday, 01 December 2023, lead the Official Commemoration of World AIDS Day and Launch of the South African Chapter of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children.
The event is scheduled to take place at Ngcedomhlophe Sports Field, Sundumbili Township, Mandeni Local Municipality, in the Ilembe District, KwaZulu-Natal Province.
World AIDS Day is commemorated annually across the globe in solidarity with the millions of people living with HIV and to raise awareness about the status of the epidemic, with a view to encourage HIV prevention, treatment and care.
The 2023 commemorations will take place under the theme: ‘Let Communities Lead’, a clarion call to invest in and strengthen community-led interventions and community-centered approaches in the management of HIV. It further highlights the importance of greater involvement of civil society in strengthening accountability and empowering communities to be at the forefront of strategic interventions against stigma, discrimination and human rights violations of people affected and infected with HIV.
In this regard, South Africa joins the rest of the world in shining the light on the experiences of people living with HIV today, while celebrating the strength, resilience and diversity of the communities most affected.
Deputy President Mashatile will lead the commemoration event alongside the SANAC Civil Society Chairperson, Ms. Steve Letsike; Minister of Health, Dr. Joe Phaahla; KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Ms. Nomusa Dube-Ncube, KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Ms. Nomagugu Simelane; and various sector leaders. The event will be attended by members of the surrounding communities as well as representatives from development partners such as the UN Agencies, US government, research entities, civil society movements and the private sector.
Members of the media are invited to cover the events as follows:
Date: Friday, 01 December 2023
Time: 09h00
Venue: Ngcedomhlophe sportsground, Sundumbili, Mandeni Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal
For accreditation, please send your full details by Thursday, 30 November 2023 to Sam Bopape on 082 318 5251 or Nelson Dlamini on 078 731 0313.
For media interviews, please contact:
1. The Presidency
Sam Bopape
Cell: 082 318 5251
E-mail: Matome@presidency.gov.za
Bongani Majola
Cell: 082 339 1993
E-mail: BonganiM@presidency.gov.za
2. SANAC
Nelson Dlamini
Cell: 078 731 0313
E-mail: nelson@sanac.org.za
3. National Department of Health
Foster Mohale
Cell: 072 432 3792
E-mail: foster.mohale@health.gov.za
Media programme
09hO0: Photo-Opportunity – Arrival of the Deputy President at the Mandeni Local Municipality offices
09h30: Walk-about and assessment of the Sundumbili Community Health Centre by Deputy President Mashatile
09h45: Dialogue with Children led by the Patron of the South African Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children by 2030, Ms. Humile Mashatile, at the Roman Catholic Church, Sundumbili Township, Mandeni Local Municipality
11h00 - 13h00: Main Programme starts - World AIDS Day messages and Launch of the South African Chapter of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children by 2030
Media enquiries:
Mr. Vukani Mde
Spokesperson to Deputy President Mashatile
Cell: 081 307 9233
