New museum: Aids victims get a voice

27 July 2016 - 10:59 By Shelley Seid

The International Aids conference in Durban is over, leaving behind it an Aids museum. Director of the project Debbie Heustice said every conference attempted to leave a legacy in the city where it took place."It's the only space in the country dedicated to the disease and the voices of those affected by it," she said.The museum is two adjoining rooms with TVs and old-fashioned school desks .On one side of a hanging wall separating the rooms is an ocean scene. Projected on it are names of people who have died of Aids. Visitors can add the names of loved ones not already displayed.On the opposite side is an artist's impression of the social drivers of HIV.The museum is organised into four zones, said curator Bren Brophy.A five-metre-long time line showing newspaper cuttings is in one zone. Zone two is the South African story, the highlight of which is the voice of Nkosi Johnson, who addressed the 2000 International Aids conference, also in Durban. He died of Aids aged 11 .Zone three highlights HIV projects while zone four is about what is happening now.On the floor there is printed "David Ross Patient's Living Room". Patient, who contracted HIV in 1983, calls himself a long-term survivor . His story is told through an interview on a TV .Call ahead to arrange a visit.130 Bram Fisher Road; 031-311-2237..

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