WATCH LIVE: Mabuza urges young people living with Aids to break stigma of virus

SA currently has 7.6 million people living with HIV, making it the worst nation affected by the disease.

Deputy President David Mabuza 25 November 2020 officiated at the event to mark the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Women and Children Abuse as well as mark the beginning of five Days of Remembrance for citizens who have lost their lives to COVID-19. Picture: @DDMabuza/Twitter

Mia Lindeque | 290 days ago

JOHANNESBURG - Deputy President David Mabuza has encouraged young people living with HIV and Aids to break the stigma associated with the virus.

Mabuza, who is the chair of the South African National Aids Council, is with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday afternoon, hosting a dialogue with the youth of Soweto living with HIV and Aids.

Today marks World Aids Day, with more than 2.8 million children in the world living with the virus.

Many have detailed their painful journey of how they contracted the virus at a young age and having to deal with the stigma.

Mabuza said that he was encouraged by young people not giving up on their fight against HIV.

"You can always cry about stigma, you can always cry about discrimination but I think you've conquered that already by merely stepping forward and talking about and being aware that there is discrimination, that there's stigma... it means that you've gone beyond the hurdle."

WATCH LIVE: SA commemorates World Aids Day

[Watch Live] Deputy President David Mabuza addresses World AIDS Day commemoration in Soweto #WorldAIDSDay2020 #CheckaImpilo https://t.co/HaCOsIQkoV
South African Government (@GovernmentZA) December 1, 2020