Home / Episode 4
| 2008 SERIES |
EPISODE 4 - Celebrities and HIV
|
|
|
|
In this fourth episode of the new series of Siyayinqoba Beat! There are some special guests in the studio to discuss celebrities living with HIV. HIV is indiscriminate in who it affects, and the first segment demonstrates this by dealing with the perception that celebrities are immune from contracting HIV because of their fame and privileged lives. We meet a range of inspirational celebrities, both local and international, who are using their position in the spotlight to get involved in the fight against HIV. Firstly, we meet Tender Mavundla who disclosed her HIV status to the press whilst she was on the hit TV show, Idols. Tender talks openly about how the perception of the disease needs to change, and how she knows that she is in a unique position to spread the word! Read what Tender had to say about her public disclosure on Idols. Zolani and Simon, from local band Freshlyground, share how they felt that not getting involved in the fight against HIV would be the equivalent of standing back and witnessing something like a genocide and not doing anything to help. We then meet Evelina Tshabalala, a marathon runner and hiker who is proof that one can live a healthy, active life whilst living with the disease. As the first black South African woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Evelina's story is an inspiration. Evelina watches Siyayinqoba! Read what else she had to say about living positively. Siyayinqoba Beat It! also meets up with Annie Lennox from the former band, The Eurythmics. Annie is one of the most active celebrities when it comes to being involved in the fight against HIV. She speaks openly about how she wants to empower women to tackle the problem head-on. Annie wants us all to get tested and to access ARVs if necessary, read what else she had to say. The key message from this episode is that if HIV becomes a comfortable topic to talk about, by the public and celebrities alike, we're well on our way to fighting the battle against this disease. |
|
IT'S A FACT |
||
|
|
 |
Celebrities from the world of entertainment and sport who have played a big role in breaking stigma and silence around HIV and AIDS include Magic Johnson and Freddy Mercury |
|
In South Africa, very few people with a public profile have been open about their HIV status | |
|
Judge Edwin Cameron is one of very few people with a high public profile in South Africa who is open about his status | |
|
DJ Khabzela and popular SABC weatherman Jabu Sithole are public figures who only disclosed their status once they had developed full blown AIDS | |
|
Zombo (Tebogo Ndlovu) of Abashante died in February 2008, just weeks after disclosing his HIV status | |
|
Some well know political figures who died prematurely, such Peter Mokhaba and Parks Mankahlana, are widely accepted as having died of AIDS. | |
|
Sadly, stigma and rumours are reinforced through public figures not disclosing their status | |
|
Nelson Mandela disclosed that his son Makgatho died from AIDS related illnesses. Mandela has devoted much of his time since 1999 in supporting work on HIV/AIDS | |
|
Celebrities who have made a mark on HIV/AIDS awareness internationally include Bono, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Ludacris, Johnny Clegg, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Just Jinjer, Arno Carstens, The Parlotones, Cassette, Jamali and Freshlyground | |
|
Freshlyground is an example to other South African artist through their involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS | |
