Fight against AIDS and stigma

On 17 May, UCT staff and students pledged their commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and the stigma associated with it at a Candlelight Memorial, hosted by HIV/AIDS Co-ordination - UCT (HAICU). Here they expressed their support to their peers, friends and family living with the disease. Guest speaker Faan Kruger, diagnosed HIV-positive more than 20 years ago, made it clear that it is a disease that can be fought, but it also demands that those who are HIV-positive live responsibly towards themselves and others. Deputy vice-chancellor Professor Martin West said this year's theme - What are you doing to build an AIDS-competent UCT? - fits in well with other transformation initiatives. He said the issue is a matter of life and death, and it is essential for all stakeholders to work together to combat it. Actress Hlubi Mboya, a guest speaker, said how she related to her "great and wonderful" character, Nandipa, an HIV-positive woman on the popular soap opera Isidingo, and a character who serves as a role model to many.