South African tertiary institutions took a giant leap forward in the fight against HIV and Aids when they recently launched a national strategic policy framework at a conference held at UCT.

Produced in collaboration with universities by the Higher Education South Africa, the Department of Higher Education and Training as well as Higher Education Aids (HEAIDS), the framework provides a useful guide to universities and FETs in developing an effective response to the HIV/Aids pandemic.

The three-day national conference of Higher Education institutional HIV/Aids programmes was recently held under the theme: Applying the Research/Researching the Applied.

Speakers who addressed the conference included the Professor Anthony Staak, CPUT Deputy Vice Chancellor, the Vice-chancellors of UWC, Stellenbosch and UCT, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana as well as speakers from the national Department of Health, UNAIDS and HEAIDS.

The main highlights of the conference were the unveiling of the new HEAIDS logo and the launch of the Policy and Strategic Framework on HIV/Aids for Higher Education.

The first day of this conference was planned to coincide with the celebration of World AIDS Day, on the eve of which the UNAIDS reported that South Africa increased its rollout of HIV treatment by 75% in the last two years, ensuring 1.7 million people had access.

The World Aids Day/Opening of the Conference was hosted by the CPUT HIV/Aids Unit and its director, Professor Ashraf Mohammed.

The report also indicated that during this period new HIV infections in South Africa had fallen by more than 50 000.

Kwanele Butana

Written by CPUT News
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Consistent with its resolve to produce not only qualified but also healthy graduates, CPUT students have access to wellness services from the HIV/AIDS Unit.

Situated in the Administration Building on the Cape Town Campus, the unit aims to prevent and control HIV/Aids, sexually transmitted infections and works tirelessly to attend to the holistic wellbeing of all students.

It conducts research, runs awareness campaigns, community outreach programmes, and is also actively involved in curriculum integration of HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB.

Students at the Bellville Campus can access the unit’s services at its satellite office on the campus, while those at other campuses have access to the healthcare services via the Mobile Unit.

Services include walk-in HIV Counseling and Testing Services, a Peer Education Program, Internship as well as Volunteer Programs.

Among several campaigns run by the unit, students can also look forward to a Youth Leadership Conference which is planned for the first Semester.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Amajita’s Men’s Programme has been reintroduced at CPUT through a thought-provoking webinar, which attracted more than 60 participants.

The programme serves as a platform to bring young men of CPUT together to work on solutions and to take ownership of pertinent psycho-social issues on campus by addressing men’s involvement in health-seeking activities, encouraging men to reduce risky behaviour, and challenging gender inequalities that are driving the rapid spread of HIV and AIDS.

The webinar, which was held earlier this month, was hosted by the HIV/Aids Unit and participants were addressed by a host of speakers.

Melanie Marais, Head of the HIV/Aids Unit, said the webinar served to reintroduce the programme, which was formally known as Amajita’s Men’s Health Campaign. Spearheaded by the unit, it was initially launched on three campuses in 2018.

“We aim to mobilise men from all five campuses since we want to have more men who seek to be responsible and are ready to be at the forefront of the fight against Gender-Based Violence. We strive to work hand in hand with the SRC leadership, together with all student structures, to be able to get more student involvement,” said Marais.

“This programme will aim to ensure that CPUT and our communities are safer with these men and that they’ll be able to groom others to be better men. The Amajita’s Men’s Programme creates a platform for men to reprimand one another on things that are normalised by our societies but are a criminal offence by law as we seek to unlearn what was entrenched in us by our communities and also the household we grew up in.”

Marais acknowledged the speakers as well as Higher Health and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation for funding the programme. 

To get involved in the programme, please send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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