Keynote address by the Deputy President of South Africa and Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council, Mr Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile, at the engagement with the SANAC Private Sector Forum and captains of Industry, Sandton

Programme Director;
Chairperson of the SANAC Private Sector Forum, Ms Mpumi Zikalala;
Chair of Anglo-American South Africa Management Board, Ms Nolitha Fakude;
Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi in absentia;
Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Ms Steve Letsike;
MEC for Health in Gauteng, Ms Faith Mazibuko; 
Chief Executive Officer of SANAC, Dr Thembisile Xulu;
Head of Private Sector Engagement at the Global Fund, Mr John Fairhurst;
Director of the UNAIDS Multi-Country Office for South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, Mr Alankar Malviya;
Representatives of UNAIDS, the Global Fund and Development Partners;
Captains of Industry;
Chief Executive Officers and Leaders of the Private Sector;
Leaders from Government, Business, Labour and Civil Society;
Distinguished Guests;
Good Evening,

It is a privilege to join you this evening as we strengthen the partnership between Government, the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), and the private sector in pursuit of a healthier, more prosperous South Africa.

I want to begin by expressing my appreciation to the SANAC Private Sector Forum and all our partners who continue to support South Africa's response to HIV, Tuberculosis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and other pressing health challenges.

We meet at a critical moment in our country's development journey. The challenges before us are significant, but so too are the opportunities. 

We have made remarkable progress in our response to HIV and TB over the past two decades, yet we know that much work remains to be done.

Our gathering this evening is therefore more than a stakeholder engagement. It is a call to action. It is an opportunity to strengthen collaboration, deepen commitment, and define practical ways in which business and government can work together to improve the lives of millions of South Africans.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The health of our nation and the health of our economy are deeply interconnected.

A healthy population is more productive, more innovative and better equipped to contribute to economic growth. Conversely, poor health outcomes undermine productivity, increase healthcare costs and place additional strain on households, communities and employers.

For this reason, investing in health should never be viewed as a social obligation alone. It is also an investment in human capital, economic resilience and sustainable development.

This reality was reinforced during my recent working visit to India, where I engaged political leaders, investors and executives from the pharmaceutical sector. Our discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen cooperation in pharmaceutical manufacturing, healthcare security, infrastructure development and industrialisation.

One message emerged very clearly from these engagements: health security has become a strategic economic priority for nations around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught us valuable lessons about the vulnerabilities associated with relying heavily on imported medicines, technologies and global supply chains. 

It highlighted the importance of developing domestic capacity to manufacture essential health products and respond effectively to future health emergencies.

South Africa must continue to build a resilient healthcare system supported by local manufacturing, innovation, research and investment. 

There is a unique opportunity for collaboration between government, industry, researchers and development partners. By investing in pharmaceutical manufacturing and healthcare innovation, we can improve health outcomes, create jobs, strengthen economic growth and position South Africa as a leading healthcare hub on the African continent.

Compatriots, 
As we discuss these long-term opportunities, we are also preparing for an important milestone in our national HIV response.

Tomorrow, South Africa will officially launch the rollout of Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention medicine administered only twice a year. This represents one of the most significant scientific advances in HIV prevention in recent years.

For decades, researchers, healthcare workers, governments and communities have worked tirelessly to develop more effective tools to prevent HIV transmission.

Lenacapavir provides us with a powerful new opportunity to strengthen prevention efforts, particularly among populations that continue to experience high rates of new infections.

Its introduction demonstrates the value of science, innovation and partnership in addressing some of the world's most complex public health challenges.

However, we must remember that scientific breakthroughs alone do not change lives. Their success depends on access, affordability, public trust and effective implementation.

The rollout of Lenacapavir will require strong collaboration across all sectors of society. It will require awareness campaigns, community mobilisation, healthcare worker training, effective supply chains and sustainable financing.

Most importantly, it will require us to ensure that no vulnerable community is left behind. The private sector thus has an important role to play in supporting this effort through workplace education, logistics support, investment and public awareness initiatives.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
While HIV remains a major public health challenge, we must also not lose focus on Tuberculosis. TB continues to claim thousands of lives each year and remains one of the leading causes of death among people living with HIV.

Although South Africa has made encouraging progress in reducing TB incidence and improving treatment outcomes, we cannot afford to become complacent. 

We must continue to strengthen screening programmes, improve access to diagnostics, support treatment adherence, and find those individuals who remain undiagnosed and untreated.

In this regard, we are encouraged by plans to introduce near-point-of-care TB diagnostic services, bringing testing closer to communities and reducing delays in diagnosis and treatment.

We urge the private sector to support these efforts by integrating TB screening into workplace health programmes and supporting community-based initiatives that increase awareness and access to care. Early detection saves lives!

Compatriots, 
Our vision for health must go beyond disease-specific interventions. The challenges facing our communities are increasingly interconnected. People do not experience HIV, TB, diabetes, hypertension, mental health challenges or gender-based violence in isolation.

These issues affect individuals, families and communities simultaneously. This reality requires a more integrated and person-centred approach to healthcare.

A worker who presents for HIV testing should also have access to TB screening where appropriate.

Someone living with hypertension or diabetes should receive support before complications develop.

A person experiencing depression or anxiety should be able to seek assistance without fear of stigma.

Survivors of gender-based violence should have access to support services and referral pathways that protect their dignity and well-being.

Integrated healthcare is not simply good policy. It is good business. Healthy employees are more productive, more engaged and more resilient. Companies that invest in employee wellbeing benefit from lower absenteeism, reduced healthcare costs and improved workplace morale.

For these reasons, I encourage business leaders to strengthen workplace wellness programmes and ensure they address the full spectrum of health needs facing employees and their families.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We must also pay particular attention to the needs of young people. Adolescent girls and young women continue to carry a disproportionate burden of new HIV infections in South Africa. This remains one of the most urgent challenges in our national response.

Young people require more than healthcare services alone. They need education, economic opportunities, skills development, safety and hope for the future. They need access to accurate information, prevention services and supportive environments that empower them to make informed choices.

The private sector can make a meaningful contribution through bursaries, internships, skills development programmes, workplace-linked initiatives and partnerships with schools, universities and community organisations.

Investing in young people is not only the right thing to do; it is one of the smartest investments we can make in our country's future.

Additionally, the close relationship between public health and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide should not be ignored. Violence against women and girls is not only a social justice issue. It is a public health issue. Gender-based violence contributes to HIV vulnerability, poor mental health outcomes, family instability and economic insecurity. Addressing this challenge requires action across all sectors of society.

Business leaders can contribute by strengthening workplace policies, supporting survivor referral systems, promoting gender equality and creating environments free from harassment and discrimination.

Together, we must send a clear message that gender-based violence has no place in our homes, in our communities or in our workplaces.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
As Chairperson of SANAC, I believe that one of our greatest strengths is our ability to bring together diverse sectors around a common purpose.

The Government cannot achieve these goals alone. Neither can civil society, labour, nor the private sector achieve these independently.

The progress we have made in expanding access to antiretroviral treatment demonstrates what is possible when communities, scientists, healthcare workers, government and partners work together.

Similarly, our response to COVID-19 showed the power of collaboration during times of crisis. The lessons from these experiences remain relevant today. The challenges we face require coordinated action, shared responsibility and measurable commitments.

We need stronger partnerships, better data, greater accountability and sustained investment.

Above all, we need leadership.

Leadership from the government.

Leadership from business.
Leadership from civil society.

And leadership from every community across our country.

Today, I therefore call on the private sector to make six practical and measurable commitments in support of our national health priorities:

1.    A commitment to expand workplace HIV testing and TB screening.
2.    A commitment to support the rollout of Lenacapavir through awareness campaigns and implementation support.
3.    A commitment to strengthen youth-focused prevention programmes.
4.    A commitment to support mental health services and wellness initiatives.
5.    A commitment to address Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
6.    We also need a commitment to invest in local pharmaceutical manufacturing, health innovation and healthcare resilience.

These six commitment actions will not only improve health outcomes; they will contribute directly to economic growth, productivity and social stability.

Distinguished Guests,
South Africa has the expertise, institutions, partnerships and determination required to achieve extraordinary progress. 

The question before us is not whether we have the capacity to succeed. The question is whether we have the collective resolve to act with the urgency that this moment demands.

The rollout of Lenacapavir, the strengthening of our HIV and TB response, the fight against Gender-Based Violence, the expansion of youth opportunities and the growth of local pharmaceutical manufacturing are all part of a single national mission.

That mission is to build a healthier, more equal, more productive and more resilient South Africa.

As the Government, we remain committed to creating an enabling environment for partnerships to thrive.

Through The Presidency, we will continue to work with SANAC, the Department of Health, provinces, development partners and the private sector to strengthen coordination, improve governance and align our efforts with national priorities.

Together, we can accelerate progress toward the 95-95-95 targets, we can reduce new HIV infections, and we can end TB as a public health threat!

Our collective effort can strengthen health security and create opportunities for future generations. A healthier and more prosperous South Africa is possible.

Let us rethink, rebuild and rise.

 I thank you. Inkomu.