Today, the South African Council of Churches, COSATU, the South African National NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) and the Treatment Action Campaign announced details of a major new initiative to prevent and treat HIV in South Africa.

On 27/28 October 2006 this coalition, together with their affiliates and associated organizations, will hold a two-day national conference on the HIV crisis in South Africa. 300 delegates will participate.

The conference is the latest phase of a collaboration between these organizations aimed at preventing and treating HIV. The objective of the conference will be to reach national consensus on targets and programmes for HIV prevention and treatment, care and support as well as on the restructuring of the National AIDS Council (SANAC) -- and to present this consensus statement to the government. This takes place at a time when the South African government is itself reviewing the National AIDS Strategy and has sought input from all sectors of society.

The coalition emphasized that it is ready to meet the challenge of defeating the HIV epidemic and saving millions of lives in South Africa. In response to recent government calls for unity and partnership, the coalition confirmed its readiness to mobilize civil society broadly, but emphasized that this must be on the basis on unambiguous commitments to scaling up access to treatment, to telling the truth about AIDS in South Africa, and to urgency in undertaking these tasks.

The conference will be held at the Randburg Inn and Towers. Members of the media are invited to apply for accreditation to Ms Rukia Cornelius at rukia@tac.org.za.

A copy of the draft programme for the conference will be made available shortly.

For further information contact:
Rev Teboho Klass, SACC 082 412 2960
Jacqueline Mpolokeng, COSATU, 082 452 0804
Rukia Cornelius, TAC, 078 456 3841
Denise Hunt, SANGOCO, 082 523 4701