Opening remarks by the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council, H.E. Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, at the opening plenary of the 12th SA AIDS Conference, Emperors Palace, City Of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng
The Conference Chairpersons, Dr Candice Chetty-Makka and Dr Kate Rees
Our Host, Premier of Gauteng, Mr Panyaza Lesufi;
Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi;
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla;
Premier of Mpumalanga, Mr Mandla Ndlovu;
Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Mr Nkosindiphile Xhakaza;
Gauteng MEC of Health, Hon Ms Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko;
KwaZulu Natal MEC of Health, Hon Ms Nomagugu Simelane;
Mpumalanga MEC of Health, Hon. Sasekani Manzini;
Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus (virtual);
UNAIDS Executive Director, Ms Winnie Byanyima (virtual);
The Chairperson of the SANAC Civil Society Forum, Mr Solly Nduku;
The Chairperson of SANAC Private Sector Forum, Ms Mpumi Zikalala;
The SANAC CEO, Dr Thembisile Xulu;
The CEO of the Rotary Family Health and AIDS Prevention, Ms Sue Paget;
The Director-General of Health, Dr Sandile Buthelezi;
Esteemed guests, conference delegates and members of the media;
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to all of you at the official opening plenary of the 12th South African Aids Conference. This conference is crucial as it unites communities, leaders, researchers, implementing partners, academics, and advocates from across the globe to tackle the evolving nature of HIV care and prevention.
The theme of this year's conference, "Unite for change - empower communities and redefine priorities for HIV/Aids", resonates deeply with the shared commitment we all hold in our hearts. It underscores the proactive role we must play in coordinating the responses to HIV, TB, and STIs, cultivating partnerships, and promoting community involvement.
To empower communities and redefine priorities for HIV/AIDS, our strategies must prioritise giving power and resources to those who are most affected. This means moving away from a top-down, clinic-centred approach and towards one that is community-owned and driven.
This requires extensive community participation in programme implementation and oversight to ensure that treatments address structural barriers and meet different population needs.
In redefining priorities for HIV/AIDS, we must take advantage of our National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs (NSP 2023-2028). This plan emphasises the importance of enhancing prevention and treatment efforts, integrating community-led initiatives, fortifying health systems, and focussing on evidence-based, data-driven strategies.
This translates into deliberate action to invest in prevention strategies that are evidence-based and tailored to the diverse needs of different communities. We must ensure access to comprehensive and inclusive healthcare services that leave no one behind. And we must continue to champion education, awareness, and destigmatisation efforts that break down barriers and foster a culture of understanding and support.
Additionally, it is essential to concentrate on harmonising our objectives with the existing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at health equity. This means swift reaction and prioritising key populations exhibiting high-risk behaviours through community engagement and support, while striving to meet the ambitious 95-95-95 targets for testing, treatment, and viral suppression for everyone.
It is therefore important that, as we gather here at this conference this week, we acknowledge the progress that has been made in the fight against HIV/Aids. We must also recognise the challenges that continue to persist towards meeting the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. These targets are a global strategy for ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, aiming for:
- 95% of all people living with HIV to know their status;
- 95% of those who know their status to be on sustained antiretroviral treatment, and
- 95% of those on treatment to be virally suppressed. Viral suppression, in turn, prevents new HIV infections and allows people to live longer, healthier lives and that is how the world would eliminate HIV as a public health threat and end AIDS by 2030.
South Africa has made significant progress towards the targets, however, there is a struggle with the second 95, which is to initiate and maintain people on treatment. The country is currently sitting at 96-78-97. One of the first tasks the Minister of Health prioritised in the 7th Administration, is closing the gap in the second 95.
In October 2024, he announced an imminent launch of a campaign to find 1.1 million people who are infected with HIV but are not on treatment. The campaign was launched in February of this year at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and is called “Close the Gap – Start and Stay on HIV Treatment”.
The campaign runs parallel to the “End TB Campaign” launched during the commemoration of World TB Day this year, with a target of testing five (5) million people during the year 2025/2026 – thus leading to a substantial reduction in TB incidence and mortality in South Africa by 2035.
South Africa carries the highest HIV and TB burdens globally in relation to its population, with a higher prevalence among people aged 15 and 49. Adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 record the highest new infections per week compared to all population groups.
To quote the Health Minister’s famous line, “if HIV and TB were a snake, its head would be in South Africa”, unquote. This means, the global community is counting on us to achieve epidemic control for everyone to win, and we “dare not fail” as Dr Xulu, the SANAC CEO would say.
Speaking of SANAC, the Council has recently developed the South African HIV Prevention Roadmap 2025-2028, with guidance and technical support from the HIV Prevention Technical Working Group (TWG) and other key stakeholders. The objectives of this Roadmap include the following:
- To ensure data-driven strategies are aligned with the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs, and global guidance, including the Global Prevention Coalition's Ten Action Points.
- Identify programme gaps and take remedial actions to scale up precision HIV prevention, including community-led and integrated approaches.
- Prioritise populations and regions most affected by the HIV epidemic.
- Address social, structural and legal barriers to HIV prevention.
- Promote the rapid adoption of new technologies and innovations.
- Strengthen leadership and accountability within HIV prevention efforts.
- Ensure real-time monitoring and data quality.
- Ensure the sustainability of, and adequate resource allocation for the HIV prevention response.
These initiatives result from coordinated efforts to not only achieve the UNAIDS objectives, but also to eradicate AIDS permanently in South Africa.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the year 2025 also marks the Mid-Term Review of the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs for the period 2023 to 2028. SANAC is consolidating reports and data from various sources and implementers to establish how the country has performed in the implementation of the NSP.
Through its four (4) Goals, the NSP emphasises the need to break down barriers and maximise equitable and equal access to services through resilient and integrated health systems to guarantee the health and social protection of all South Africans.
As we have often said as SANAC, this NSP has been a game changer in many ways; it was developed using lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and is therefore pandemic-ready. It also goes further into the social and structural causes of the three epidemics (HIV, tuberculosis, and STIs). The Plan also includes an enlarged scope for STI care, including viral hepatitis, which has been linked to HIV transmission.
This is also the last NSP to usher us into the year 2030. We are therefore hoping for a good story to tell once the Mid-Term Review report is published, and it will give us an indication of what to improve as we forge ahead towards Agenda 2030.
Nevertheless, we must remember that behind all reports and statistics; and behind every policy, there are real people - individuals with hopes and dreams, families and friends, each deserving of our compassion and our commitment to their well-being.
Let us use this conference as a platform to share our knowledge, our experiences, and our best practices. Let us listen, learn, and collaborate in ways that renew our resolve and inspire our actions. This conference provides an opportunity for all voices to be heard, especially from people at the frontlines.
As government, we will not disregard these voices, and we are committed to enhancing our efforts to address the issues associated with the management of the three epidemics.
As I conclude, let me reiterate that as Government, we acknowledge the impact of US funding cuts on our response; even so, the government is diligently working to preserve our achievements in the fight against HIV/Aids. While these accomplishments may be momentarily jeopardised, we will prevail.
We are now concentrating on augmenting our domestic funding, initiating national campaigns, and exploring partnerships with BRICS nations and the private sector to address the funding deficits. We are a resilient country with a brilliant track record in HIV management. Together, we can shape a future where HIV/AIDS is no longer a threat, but a distant memory of our collective strength and determination.
Esteemed delegates, in my capacity as both the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, and as the Chairperson of SANAC, I declare the conference open.
I Thank You.
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