Buthelezi makes HIV/AIDS personal

Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi's disclosure that his son died of HIV/AIDS has been hailed by HIV/AIDS activists as a move which could lead to the stigma surrounding the pandemic being broken.

At his son, Prince Nelisuzulu Buthelezi's funeral, which was attended by dignitaries including first lady Zanele Mbeki at the weekend, Buthelezi is reported to have said, "I reach out for all the other people who died of HIV and AIDS. My son did."

The prince, 53, died at King George V Hospital in Durban after a long illnesss.

KwaZulu-Natal Treatment Action Campaign spokesperson Sbu Khanyile said the confession could lead to a breakthrough in Zulu households and South African families. He said as a traditional leader, Buthelezi "personalised the pandemic", a move which gave hope that the stigma surrounding the pandemic "will be broken". The revelation was sure to provoke discussions "in homes, kraals and huts" especially because many South Africans lived in denial, he said. "We encourage more leaders to talk about it openly, we encourage any leader, any minister and even the president to speak up if they lost relatives and friends because it affects anyone."

Chris Mokolatsie, media officer for the KwaZulu-Natal AIDS Unit said: "We all hope that it will go a long way in what we have always asked for that we should not stigmatise HIV and AIDS."

He said too many people were in denial about the pandemic and he hoped that Buthelezi's statement would raise awareness more so now that the government was dispensing anti-retroviral treatment to infected people.

"I think it's a good thing," he said, adding it might help to "accept the reality of the illness in our homes".

HIV and AIDS counsellor Anne Leon said it was people in authority like church, community and nation leaders who best influenced people's attitudes.

"I think that's absolutely wonderful," she said. "We need more people from parliament to say: 'I know somebody who has HIV and AIDS'. It makes it real.

"It definitely breaks the stigma, the greatest way is for people to hear it through leaders and churches."

She said although it might take some time for ordinary people to follow suit, the disclosure of public figures helped to make people aware that something can be done.