The HIV/AIDS Centre at the Durban University of Technology will host its annual Candlelight Memorial, where tributes will be paid to the late Jan De Groot; a phenomenal man and HIV activist who gave a new meaning to the term “living positively.”

Diagnosed with HIV at the age of 68, De Groot lived with the virus for 20 years. He tested positive for HIV whilst he was donating blood. Jan was born on 10 January 1962 in Holland and he was raised in Indonesia. He joined the AIDS Foundation South Africa in 1994 where he started working as a volunteer.

Jan’s son; Jonathan De Groot, will be at the event where he will share memories of his father with the audience.

DUT is working in partnership with AIDS Foundation South Africa on the event.

Professor Threethambal Puckree; DUT’s Executive Dean in the Faculty of Health Sciences will also speak at the event.

The event will take place as follows:

Date: Friday 16 May 2014

Time: 12h00 – 13h00

Venue: Steve Biko Campus (Food Court Area)

For more information and comment, please contact DUT Health Promoter Oziel Mdletshe on 031 373 2440/2260/ ozielm@dut.ac.za.

– Murunwa Mafadza