The South African National Aids Council (Sanac), with representation from all sectors of government and civil society, together with Nedlac, have agreed that at 12.00 noon today, the Deputy President will ask all people in South Africa to stop and observe and act on World Aids Day.

From individuals to organisations, from government departments to schools, all people will be called on to stop what they are doing so that the country can come together to focus on how we are going to stop the HIV epidemic, stop new HIV infections and stop deaths.

World Aids Day 2008 will embody the collective commitment of our government and society to adopt a bold and brave new approach to HIV and TB.

We urge you to join us on this day. Act now. Forward this message.

Spread the word!

Under the theme of “Leadership and Unity to stop HIV, Aids and TB” the 15-minute national stoppage is an opportunity for all South Africans to think and talk about HIV and Aids.

People are encouraged to hold discussions in workplaces and schools, in homes and in the streets.

Sanac has produced a “Key Messages” document to guide these discussion (download it from the website).

World Aids Day 2008 will be unprecedented and historic in the global history of Aids and will inspire people in South Africa and across the world.

Our vision is to use this day to promote actions that will stop HIV and to start a truly national social mobilisation on HIV, Aids and TB.

National Event on World Aids Day

At midday the church bells of St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town will be rung to mark the start of a national minute of silence.

In Durban, at Sahara stadium, the Minister of Health will then address the nation, followed by the Deputy President.

They will be joined by the executive director of UNAids (Dr Peter Piot), King Goodwill Zwelithini, the Premier of KwaZulu Natal, and leaders from civil society living with HIV.

Other senior leaders – from government, civil society, business and labour – will also assemble to demonstrate unity.

These speeches will be covered live on SABC2 from 11.30am, as well as on many SABC and independent radio stations. Simultaneously around the country there will be thousands of other events.

Pledges of support:

l Current and former Archbishops of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, Njongonkulu Ndungane and Desmond Tutu have all endorsed the mobilisation. They are calling on other religious leaders to do the same.

They called on churches to integrate messages about HIV into their services yesterday and for all churches to ring their bells to start the minute’s silence today;

·l The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, will hold a special service at St Georges Cathedral in Cape Town today. HIV counsellors will be on hand to provide information and will also offer testing for HIV;

·l A specially prepared sermon will be given in all mosques, and a special message will be sent to all Muslim schools, Muslim-owned businesses, and Muslim-run e-mail lists in South Africa;

·l Former president Nelson Mandela will release a statement through his organisation 46664; www.46664.org.za will carry key messages and actions and will be a portal where organisations and individuals can find out what they and their companies/organisations can do during the 15-minute Focus on Aids;

l Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has endorsed the campaign;

·l Judge Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, will issue a statement in support of South Africa today;

·l The UK development Minister, Ivan Lewis, visited South Africa from November 28-30 to recognise South Africa’s efforts;

Actions:

·l The Red Ribbon Challenge (RRC) will culminate with the unveiling of the largest Red Ribbon in history.

Khomanani has been running the RRC for the past month, getting people to talk and do something about HIV and Aids – in an individual or community capacity;

·l Members of Cosatu Central Executive Committee have voluntarily tested for HIV.

Cosatu will also distribute two million pamphlets to its members encouraging VCT and prevention of mother to child HIV transmission.

l Cosatu and Anglocoal are holding a large workplace event in Witbank offering testing for HIV.

Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini will publicly test for HIV at the event;

·l Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has issued a circular to all member organisations encouraging them to participate in the events of World Aids Day. The Banking Association of South Africa will hold a minute’s silence.

l All CCMA and United Nations offices will observe the 15 minutes and will send a circular to staff.

·l A week-long community mobilisation is taking place in three districts in KZN.

Massive media campaign

·l Khomanani, Sanac and Nedlac ran national media campaigns that reached 29 million people in the days before World Aids Day and today;

l MxiT will send messages to 10 million subscribers, and will donate all proceeds from its World Aids Day wallpaper downloads;

l All Prime Media radio stations, with 3.2 million listeners, will observe the one-minute silence before the news at midday today.

Radio shows will also integrate the theme of World Aids Day into their programming and some DJs will undergo HIV testing on air;

This is a lot. But it is not enough! The aim is to save lives! We call on everyone to take action!

More information about events, as well as key documentation, is posted on the following websites: www.46664.org.za and www.sanac. org.za and www.aidsinfo.co.za/ khomanani. — Issued by Sanac