Unisa online - Unisa's pledge towards an HIV free generation

Unisa’s institutional First Things First (FTF) HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign for 2012 was launched on 20 April 2012 with a line-up of speakers driving home its mission.

Acknowledging that the success of any initiative depends on its leaders and people involved, the chairperson of the Higher Education HIV/AIDS (HEAIDS) Institutional Coordinating Committee (HICC), Dr Thandi Sidzumo-Mazibuko, paid homage to Unisa’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mandla Makhanya. Referring to his servant and transformational leadership, Dr Sidzumo-Mazibuko likened his persona to that of the great Mahatma Gandhi. Urging greater understanding of the campaign, she said “this is about testing tomorrow’s leaders today, and we have made a clarion call to the Unisa community to reconstruct this university”.

Prof Makhanya then addressed the audience. He said that the history of HIV/AIDS in South Africa was as long as it was stormy, and that this could possibly be why it’s taken time for higher education to get to this stage of awareness and action.  “However,” he continued, “I am pleased that much momentum is being generated now, especially through the efforts of a variety of stakeholders, eager to address the realities of the epidemic.”

Care forms part of the 11 Cs plus 1 initiative and Prof Makhanya said that there is no better way to demonstrate care than by embracing this campaign. “We have to ensure that our staff and students not only have access to testing, but also to education on a whole range of communicable diseases. We can never lose sight of the fact that other diseases such as tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections also pose serious health challenges in South Africa – in fact on their own, and jointly, they exert a huge impact on the emotional and physical health of this nation and as such are quite rightly taken very seriously.”

Aware of these risks on a personal level, HIV/AIDS activist and motivational speaker, Tender Mavundla, inspired the audience with her voice through song and speech. “It’s institutions like Unisa that give me a platform to talk,” she said. Finding out her status forced Mavundla to grow up fast and she encouraged students to never take life for granted. “It would be a sin if students didn’t know how lucky they are to be here. I took life for granted and at 19 tested positive for HIV. My life began then and now I’m more socially aware. It begins with me and you.”

Speaking on the HEAIDS programme and the FTF campaign was the programme’s head, Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia. He said that Unisa is the biggest university in South Africa, and that it’s important that the campaign reaches out to every community within this circle. Dr Ahluwalia also shared his vision of the campaign, saying: “We want to ensure we provide quality in this sector. Every human in South Africa has a right to know his or her status. People are being tested for diabetes – why not HIV? Everyone is suffering; support staff, academics and students. HIV needs to become a pillar of universities, not just research.”

President of Unisa’s National Student Representative Council (NSRC), Sabelo Mhlungu, and Acting Director of Student Development, Godfrey Tshikhudo, also expressed their support of the campaign at the official launch.

For more information on the campaign, go to http://www.firstthingsfirst.co.za/.

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