Political+Impact+of+AIDS+in+South+Africa-+SP11

The government of South Africa launched a new campaign in 2010, which aimed to bring awareness of HIV/AIDS. Through use of the media, the government promoted things like free AIDS testing and counseling to the general public. As well, the campaign used personal experiences to expel myths that South Africans hold about AIDS. As well as the campaign in 2010, there have been multiple other AIDS awareness campaigns going on since the 1990's (Soul City, loveLife, Khomanani, Treatment Activism Campaign). In a survey in 2008, over one-fifth of South Africans had seen/heard some sort of advertisement by these AIDS awareness campaigns.



South Africa's government was slow in response to the AIDS epidemic, as Thabo Mbeki (president from 1999 to 2008) and his health administration remained hesitant to promote antiretrovial therap. Because of the growing epidemic of AIDS in South Africa, the government finally announced in 2003 that they would begin providing ARV's (antiretroviral) to South Africans. Antitroviral therapy is not a cure for AIDS, but it can prevent sufferers from becoming ill for many years.

After South Africa overspent and a failed to apply for emergency funding, in November 2008 the government stopped initiating new patients on antiretroviral therapy. It was estimated by the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society that roughly 30 people were dying every day due to an inability to access ARVs, and 15,000 people were put on waiting lists for treatment. Patients who had been taking ARVs also had to interrupt their treatment.

The Treatment Activism Campaign crossed local, national and global spaces in the course of fights to gain community access to cheaper AIDS preventing drugs. The TAC entered into a tripartite coalition with the South African Communist Party, Congress of South African Trade Union and the of the South African Government. Also the party includes the South African Council of Churches. The TAC has gain funding through contracts with other organizations and western parties. The TAC leadership has taken great care over how it frames HIV & AIDS as a political issue. The main objective of the TAC has been to lobby and pressure the South African Government to provide HIV & AIDS treatment. Their main statement is, “Change Policies not Government.”



The epidemic of AIDS in South Africa has impacted the government in a negative way. The South African government has spent millions in funding campaigns for AIDS awareness, as well as providing medical treatment for AIDS patients. These campaigns and resources used for education have ultimately fallen behind or have become useless as the government loses its money for funding. The government is still attempting to educate and treat AIDS in South Africa, but ultimately they have been set back in their developments.