When you have HIV or AIDS, it does not mean your life is over. People must understand that HIV and AIDS are not a death sentence.
When you have HIV and AIDS, it is in your hands to fight for your life, do not allow fear and rumours to take over, because many people have not been killed by HIV and AIDS, but they were killed by fear and rumours of abantu bazothini? (what will people say?)

I know it’s hard to accept that you have HIV or AIDS. It also hurts to see the way people treat those who have the illness. People have lost respect for them, because they think they got the illness from sleeping around with everyone, and that is not true.

As a country we need to unite and teach each other that people who are have HIV or AIDS are still human, they also need us to support them and not judge them. They deserve respect, like everyone else. If we can unite and support them, they will feel free to fight and take the medication without worrying about what people would say.

But as long as we keep on judging them, they will keep on living with the fear of abantu bazothini?

Tell us: Do you agree with the author that it is important to treat people with HIV and Aids with respect?