The DUT Student Counselling and Health Centre/ DUT HIV/AIDS Centre commemorated the Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial today (Tuesday 16 May) where HIV Activist and singer Thandazile “Tender” Mavundla had a frank talk about HIV/AIDS with students.

DUT celebrated the candlelight memorial under the theme Promoting Health and Dignity Together at the Mansfield Hall. The event had a good turnout, with both students and staff attending the event. This was the eighth time that DUT held the memorial. Attendees included representatives from from the US Embassy, eThekwini Municipality and Love Life attended the memorial.

Mr Amar Singh, DUT Dean of Students at DUT said while the event is held to remember the people who succumbed to HIV/AIDS, it is also a time to reflect on what more can be done to combat the epidemic. He expressed his gratitude to the DUT HIV/AIDS Centre for its “sterling” work despite having limited resources, however adding that perhaps DUT could do more to improve the work done by Centre at the University.

Tender, who was the main speaker, started her talk by telling the audience about her story leading to her contracting HIV. The feisty 30 year old said she was 16 when she left home (Port Shepstone) and went to Johannesburg to pursue a career as a singer.

However; because of the many pressures she faced, including the pressure of fitting into a society which was much faster than the one she was raised in as a child, she contracted HIV. She was diagnosed with HIV at the age of 19. She told students that she believed people experience unfortunate events for a reason. Had she been smarter during her teenage years, she said, than she would not be able to impart her wisdom on them.

“We are made in the image of God. We are gold. It’s a pity I realised my value at a much later stage. But I am fine. I am standing in front of you, preaching because I want to tell you that you can live a burden free life like I am (even if you are HIV positive). We tend to rush into things. Who said just because you have been dating for three months, and are ‘serious’ then you automatically become immune to HIV? Who said just because he calls you ‘ma’ (wifey) he’s not doing the same with someone else? Who said a man defines your beauty? Why can’t you wake up in the morning, look at yourself and tell yourself how gorgeous you are?” she said.

She told students that there are many areas where she went wrong as a person, however urging them to learn from her mistakes. She also advised them not to chase the finer things in life by sleeping with “sugar daddies” that she said are a health risk.

“We are quick to blame government when things go wrong. Do you expect the government to come into your bedroom and help you put on a condom? They (condoms) are everywhere, even at night clubs. It saddens me that there are people who still act recklessly in the year 2012. All said and done, I went through a stage of denial for a long time but eventually realised that HIV is just a measly virus. I am its landlord. I call the shots and I am not getting re-infected,” she said to a loud round of applause.

– Sinegugu Ndlovu

Caption: (From Left to Right) DUT Health Promoter Oziel Mdletshe, DUT Dean of Students Amar Singh and Thandazile “Tender” Mavundla; HIV/AIDS Activist and Singer light candles in memory of all who succumbed to HIV/AIDS during today’s commemoration of the Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial at the DUT Mansfield Hall.