David Mabuza says failure to eradicate inequality will make efforts to address HIV futile

Deputy president David Mabuza says if the government fails to ensure that all marginalised groups have equal access to health, education and employment, efforts to address HIV in SA will be futile.

Mabuza was delivering the keynote address at the World Aids Day commemoration in Soweto on Tuesday.

World Aids Day 2020 was marked under the theme, “We’re in this together — Cheka Impilo”, a call to every South African to make the right health choices and ensure they know their health status.

The theme was aligned to the global theme for World Aids Day, which was “Global solidarity, shared responsibility”.

Mabuza said young women, in particular, were vulnerable due to inequality.

He said the rebuilding of social cohesion was critical not only in HIV prevention, but in the elimination of violence against women and children.

“We commemorate this World Aids Day in the middle of 16 days of activism against the abuse of women and children,” he said.

“It is critical for us to decisively address gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide, inequality and insecurity.

“Partnerships and leadership are needed to address the patriarchy and toxic masculinity that fuel GBV and sexually transmitted infections.”

Mabuza said SA could only win the fight against HIV if everyone worked together to save lives and livelihoods and protect the vulnerable.

“We are required to put people at the centre, especially the people most at risk of infection and the marginalised.”

The deputy president called on all in the country to play a role in reducing new HIV infections.

“Each one of us needs to play their role in reducing new HIV and TB infections, in stopping GBV and femicide, and in protecting the most vulnerable in our society, including adolescent girls and young women,” Mabuza said.