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Alarming new HIV/AIDS figures released by the South African Department of Health are likely to cause confusion over the accuracy of earlier official statistics, experts have said.

Plans by the South African government to outlaw virginity testing for girls and young women have provoked outrage by South Africa's Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini.

Members of the South African military have to undergo mandatory HIV-testing to qualify for deployment on international peace missions, and if found to be infected with the HI virus are denied deployment.

A candlelight vigil at the weekend remembered South African police officers who died from AIDS-related illnesses.

Despite encouraging signs that HIV/AIDS is beginning to be contained in a small but growing number of countries, the epidemic continues to expand worldwide, according to a report released by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

South Africa's response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic still leaves much to be desired, delegates heard on Wednesday at the 2nd South African AIDS Conference in Durban.

South African deputy president Jacob Zuma has called on the public to know their HIV status, in order to maintain good health and access freely available anti-AIDS treatment.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) HIV/AIDS treatment project this week received a US $50 million boost from the United States government to conduct research into the impact of anti-AIDS drugs on the military.

Illnesses such as HIV/AIDS have also had an impact on the criminal justice system. This year, there have been four cases of prisoners who died of terminal illness shortly before they were due to be sentenced by the Johannesburg High Court.

HIV-positive people in South Africa's Gauteng province are to benefit from a new housing policy announced in the capital, Pretoria on Tuesday, 19 April 2005.