NEWSletter

Dec 2014

Your par tner in academic excellence and social responsibility

www.aidscentre.sun.ac.za

High honour for Centre Director, Jan du Toit

rof Jan du Toit, Director of the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management, has become
one of the first recipients of Stellenbosch
Universitys (SU) Chancellors Award made in recognition of continued contributions to excellence.
It entails a cash prize of R100 000.
The award was made to him and 14 other
top academic staff members at SUs ninth and
final December graduation ceremony on Friday
(12 December) last week.
Du Toit was commended for his pioneering work in the battle against HIV/Aids in the
workplace. In the 14 years since the then State
President challenged the University to develop a
programme that would combat HIV/Aids in the
workplace, Du Toit developed the Postgraduate
Diploma in HIV/Aids Management and also

founded the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management in the Department of Industrial Psychology,
developing it into an independent academic
department in 2004. Thereafter followed the
MPhil and doctoral programmes in HIV/Aids
Management. More than 4 300 students from
many countries in Africa and the rest of the world
have successfully completed these programmes.
The Centres internationally acclaimed division for
Educational Theatre and Creative Arts was also
launched under his leadership and has reached
and tested some two million people for HIV over
the last decade. In 2007 Du Toit received the State
Presidents Award for Community Work from the
late Dr Nelson Mandela.
The Chancellors Awards focus on sustained
excellence in the fields of research, learning and
teaching, and/or community interaction.

Prof Jan du Toit (left) is pictured

here with Dr Johann Rupert, SUs
Chancellor, shortly after receiving
the Chancellors Award.

New US Consul General visits Africa Centre

t was an unusual sight in the
streets of Stellenbosch early on
a Monday morning a number
of sleek, black, bulletproof SUVs
moving purposefully up Banghoek
Road, swinging left into Joubert
Street and then entering the
parking lot of the Africa Centre
for HIV/AIDS Management.
Although some folks briefly
may have thought Hollywood

had come to town, it was actually the United States Assistant

Secretary of African Affairs, Ms
Linda Thomas-Greenfield and
members of the Consulate staff
in Cape Town arriving at the
Centre. There to welcome them
were Prof Eugene Cloete,ViceRector (Research and Innovation), Prof Jan du Toit, Director
of the Africa Centre, and Prof

Pictured here during the Americans visit to the Africa Centre are
(from the left): Burt Davis, Aloysius D Gowne, Renice Williams,
Jane Carpenter-Rock, Jan du Toit, Linda Thomas-Greenfield,
Jimmie Earl Perry, Teddy Taylor, Andrea Tomazewicz and Anja Laas.

Did you know?

You can make a difference by donating to the Africa Centre
and its international HIV educational and prevention
interventions kindly visit https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/giga.
cgi?cmd=donate&cause_id=3831 to do so.
Applications for the 2015 intake for the PDM (Postgraduate Diploma
in HIV/AIDS Management) are presently being processed and late
applications will still be considered; send an email to Renice Williams
at pdm@sun.ac.za
Up to 7 December this year the latest outbreak of Ebola claimed
6 388 lives. In comparison an average of 3 300 people have died of
Aids in South Africa every week since March.

Jimmie Earl Perry, Director of the

Centres Educational Theatre and
Creative Arts Programme.
The visit had a dual purpose
to sustain and cement the
relationships between the two
entities and to introduce Cloete,
Du Toit and Perry to the new US
Consul General in Cape Town,
Mr Teddy Taylor.
Taylor, who until recently
served as the Diplomat in Residence at Howard University in
Washington, is a career foreign
service officer who has been
posted around the world, from
Latin America to Europe to Asia.
This is his first posting to Africa.
He has served as US ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and
prior to that he was Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Trailblazers from
Africa cast
members of
Lucky, the Hero!
pictured at
New Yorks
JF Kennedy
Airport en route
to Venice in
Florida where
they struck
gold (report
on page 4).

State in the Bureau of Human

Resources at the State Department.
The American visit to the
Africa Centre also centered on
discussions of how Washington
and Stellenbosch University (SU)
could partner with continued
research in areas that would
benefit both South Africa and
the United States. Cloete, who
is a former Dean of SUs Faculty
of Science, engaged Ms ThomasGreenfield on research and the
application of the innovative
water filtering sachet or tea
bag which he invented. Further
talks will hopefully resume on
this possible partnership, as well
as on the Africa Centre engaging
more fully and practically in its
community interventions and
academic programmes.

W O R L D A I D S D AY 2 0 1 4

Focus, Partner, Achieve: An Aids-free Generation

2014 international theme for World AIDS Day

HIV infections. CDC-funded programmes

or the past decade the Africa Centre for
conducted more than 3.5 million HIV tests in
HIV/AIDS Management has adapted and
2012 diagnosing more than 13,000 new cases.
committed its energy to achieving an Aidsfree generation.
The USA has been the prime donor to
the Global Fund, contributing $8.5 billion to
A multi-disciplinary approach in the postdate. The Global Fund supports much of the
graduate, MPhil and PhD programmes has
Africa Centres educational and preventative
accomplished exceptional results. For example,
strategies.
the training of over 4000 students worldwide
in HIV/AIDS Management
As of December
has set a benchmark for
2013, the Global Fund
The HIV/Aids epidemic in
excellence in this field.
reports that supported
South
Africa is not over and
programmes have helped:
In partnership with
UNAIDS, the National
people need to recommit
6.1 million people
Department of Health,
receive
antiretroviral
themselves to eradicating
Stellenbosch University,
treatment for HIV/Aids;
the virus. .
NRASD (National
detect and treat 11.2
Religious Association for
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
million new cases of
Social Development),
infectious TB; and
Global Fund and
distribute
360
million
bed nets to protect
community partners, the Africa Centre has
families from malaria.
become a principal force focused on the
healing nations through knowledge.
This year the Africa Centre for HIV/
Just as the United States has embarked
AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University
on proven strategies, the Africa Centre for
graciously acknowledges all those who have
HIV/AIDS Management is also focusing on
supported our work, engaged in discourse for
prevention interventions that work. For
positive strategies and results. We especially
instance, CDCs (Centres for Disease Control)
salute the many self-sacrificing individuals,
and their partners are pursuing a Highcare givers, educators and community activists
Impact Prevention approach to reducing new
for their absolute dedication.

Though the situation vis-vis HIV/Aids had improved,

the world needed to refocus
attention on the crucial realities
of the disease, the FW de Klerk
Foundation said on World Aids
Day, 1 December.
"Each week, every week since
March this year an average of
3 300 people have died of Aids
in South Africa," said Executive
Director of the Foundation,
Dave Steward.
The media, said Steward, no
longer carried news featuring
Aids. Nonetheless, he said,
Each death is a tragedy to
the families of those who
died, particularly the children
orphaned by the disease.

Community interaction reaches new frontiers

he Africa Centres community

interaction unit, under the auspices
of Prof Jimmie Earl Perry and his
extraordinarily passionate team, has
reached new heights in 2014. Its flagship
project called Lucky, the Hero! a health
education intervention that is entertainingly
focused on conveying essential HIV,
stigma and prevention messages, as well as
offering free and confidential HIV testing
services has for the first time reached
extreme rural communities as far afield
as Ficksburg and Jane Furse in the Free
State and Ermelo and Groblersdal in
Mpumalanga and also some remote places
in Limpopo.
Since March 2014, the Africa Centre
has reached learners from almost 40
schools in Mpumalanga and Limpopo;
as well as individuals partaking in the
Governments Community Work
Programme in the Free State. In the
process, 62 health interventions were
held, reaching close to 11000 people and
testing 4 500 of attendees.
The Africa Centres Educational
Theatre group was enthusiastically
received during this years road tours,
especially by many young learners who
all expressed great appreciation for what

World needs to
refocus attention
on crucial realities
of HIV/Aids

Eugene Bambiso as Lucky (on the left) doing his first performance of Lucky, the Hero at Vergelegen
Wine Estate, Somerset West.The Africa Centre is delighted to welcome Eugene to the Community
Interaction team. He is a qualified IT technical specialist who is now living his passion on stage
by making a difference in peoples lives. Says Eugene: With my skills and training I believe I will
contribute to the alleviation of new HIV infections and the general success of my country and
community. I take pride in being a member of the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management, we
are proclaiming a message of hope through education.
they learned and experienced from the
presentation of Lucky, the Hero.
As one learner, Mmapula Blessy Gal,
put it: Thanks guys for what you have done
for us. You changed our lives easily, so thank
you for that. Miss you guys and love you more
than u could ever imagine. I will always think
about you guys and I hope that I will never
forget about u; love u all.
The Africa Centre is currently working in

the Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality in the Free State, and the Gert
Sibande and Sekhukhune district municipalities in Mpumalanga and Limpopo,
respectively. If you live and work in these
areas, we urge you to utilize our free
services at your workplace, school or
community. Contact Burt Davis at
burt@sun.ac.za or on 021 808-3006 for
more information.

Pictured here is the PDM (Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management) class of 2014 attending the Summer School at
Stellenbosch Universitys Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management. Applications for the 2015 intake are presently being processed
and late applications will still be considered; send an email to Renice Williams at pdm@sun.ac.za. The Africa Centre, established in
January 2003, today offers one of the most comprehensive HIV training programmes in the world, empowering people to take control
of the epidemic and to reach out to those affected by HIV and Aids. Apart from the PDM, Masters (MPhil) and PhD programmes are
also offered.These programmes are a true reflection of the philosophy of the Centre which is that academic institutions must help
transform society and that academic programmes must have a real-life impact.There are numerous examples of current and past
students who are already making a huge difference in the management of HIV and Aids in their workplace or environment.To date the
Centre has produced 4 300 graduates from 45 countries around the world.

Arlene
set to
boogie
her way
through
2015

Arlene Willetts, dancing in style with her

instructor/partner, Craig Andrews.

Arlene Willetts, Administrative Assistant at the Africa Centre is resolute in her goal to
simply dance her way through 2015.
Dancing brings balance into my life, it challenges me, keeps me fit and energised to
manage the daily challenges at work and at home. As a child I was lucky to have ballet
and Spanish dance lessons, but I always wanted to learn Ballroom and Latin dance,
elucidates Arlene with a sparkle in her eye.
Arlene explains that where she grew up the lessons she so yearned for were not
available and then, in 2013, a door of opportunity swung wide open. Says Arlene: I had
the chance to enter the Dancing in Style Competition organised by the Maties Dance
Society at Stellenbosch University.
And what do you think Arlene did? I grabbed it with both my hands and both my
feet, she says with infectious zest.
Each participant was given an instructor/partner who taught us the four styles of
dance we had to perform in the competition. This was such good fun; it is so wonderful
to be surrounded by people who are as excited about dancing as I am.
The learning curve did not end at midnight for Arlene. I am still dancing and have
since learned many more styles of dance, styles such as the Rumba, Tango, Jive, Slow
Foxtrot and more.
In 2014 Arlene successfully completed her Advanced Certificate in Social Dance.
That was 2014, what now? The weeks seem to drag by when there are no classes
because of the exams and holidays. I cant wait for dance classes to resume in 2015!

A
Among
the
h MPhil students
d
from
f
countries
i
all over the world who attended a research
proposal writing workshop at the Africa
Centre in September was Dr Vijay Chattu
of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the
University of West Indies, pictured here with
Prof Jan du Toit (left), Director of the Africa
Centre. This was Chattus first visit to Africa.
Chattu commented after the workshop:
This workshop really boosted my morale
and gave me an opportunity to learn from
the experts. This was one of the best training
sessions I have ever attended. It was my first
visit to the Africa continent and to a heavenly
place like Stellenbosch. This is memorable
and I wish to visit again in future as an
alumni to become more involved with the
activities of the Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS
Management.

Lucky, the Hero nets two top awards in

USA international theatre competition
The Educational Theatre and Creative Arts Division of Stellenbosch Universitys Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management has
become the first theatre company from Africa to participate in the annual international competition of the American Association
of Community Theatre (AACT). The companys debut appearance in the AACT Worldfest struck gold and the group returned
home with two coveted awards, Outstanding Ensemble Cast and Excellence in Theatre for Social Change.

he Educational Theatre
performers of the Africa
Centre attended the
Olympic Games of community
theatre in Venice, in the state of
Florida in the USA in June.
The South African group,
one of only 16 theatre groups
invited from across the world,
shared the stage for ten performance-filled days, with actors
from Latvia, Togo, Australia,
Germany and the United States,
among other countries.
The mini musical, Lucky, the
Hero, written by South African
author and actress,Vicky Davis,
was developed and workshopped by the local actors.
Lucky, the Hero is the story of
a young man, a resident Stellenbosch farm-worker, who has to
learn that the use of condoms
and practice of safe sex is to his
own advantage, as well as that
of others. Whats more, he finds
it also makes financial sense to
consider his own and the health
of others.
The AACT WorldFest has
been held annually since 1986.
Every year the American Asso-

ciation of Community Theatre

creates an opportunity for
American community theatre to
meet with similar groups from
across the world.
The AACT represents some
7 000 theatres and more than
one million community theatre
volunteers in the USA. Annually
more than 45 000 productions
are brought to life for audiences
of more than 7,5 million people.
International theatre and film
celebrity, Ben Vereen (frequently
seen on SATV screens), served
as host at the festival.
Professor Jan du Toit, who
heads the Africa Centre, says his
organizations theatre company
under the directorship of the
renowned Professor Jimmie
Earl Perry has participated in
more than 600 performances to
nearly 800 000 people since its
inception in 2005. Over 82 per
cent of these audiences were
tested for HIV.
Perry, UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador to South Africa, is an
established international singer,
actor and director. He has been
part of high profile productions

such as Jesus Christ Superstar,

CATS, Starlight Express (Andrew
Lloyd-Webber), Miss Saigon and
Dreamgirls.
Jay Handelman, theatre and
television critic and President
of the Foundation of the
American Critics Association,
pronounced singular praise
for the South African production: Theater also serves a
purpose in Lucky, the Hero, a
life-affirming musical produced
by the Africa Centre for HIV
and AIDS Management, which
sends troupes to rural areas

with lessons about HIV, Aids,

condoms and altering sexual
behaviors.
Lucky is a man who reluctantly gets tested for HIV and
is then shunned when friends
learn he is positive, even though
they continue their irresponsible ways. He responds by turning himself into an activist who
becomes a super hero. This is a
simple, yet powerful piece. It is a
joy to watch people embracing
a love of theater and the cheers
that come from the audience.

The Educational Theatre group of the Africa Centre performing at the

the AACT WorldFest in Venice, in the state of Florida, USA.They were
the first theatre group from Africa to do so and walked away with two
Picture: Jay Handelman
coveted awards.

TEN GOLDEN YEARS for Christy Ann and Percy

Percy Speelman and Christy Ann Julies are the two longest-serving employees of the Educational Theatre and Creative Arts Division of
Stellenbosch Universitys Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management. They have been with the Centres Educational Theatre Unit since its
inception every step of the way, as Percy puts it. Here they share some of their thoughts with us and reflect on the past decade

Its almost impossible to think that there are still

so many people who are uneducated or factually
unaware about HIV/Aids in our country. Going
out to most of our nine provinces each month,
spreading a message of hope, educating our young
people about HIV/Aids, and eliminating the stigma
surrounding the pandemic, is not merely just a
job for me anymore. Its the ideal way for me to
stand tall in the fight against this pandemic that is
destroying our people. It saddens me to think that
South Africa is still the country in the world with the highest percentage of
HIV infected people. One cant turn a blind eye and be ignorant about it
anymore. My personal view is that in order to change the social behaviour
of people we need to equip the leaders of all cultures, religions, and
traditions.They are the ones that should be educating their young folk on
becoming dealers of hope through factual information regarding life saving
sexual and social behaviour. Its time to wake up!
Christy Ann Julies

I started working at the Africa Centre for HIV/

AIDS Management at Stellenbosch University
in 2005. At that time it was all about security,
money and stability for me and my family. Not
in my wildest dreams did I realize what I would
be getting myself into. After ten years as a peer
educator, actor and counsellor, I look back with
pride knowing its because of me that someone I
performed to, did not give up.Working in the field
of HIV/Aids during the past decade was indeed a
life changing experience for me. I see my role in
this field as most vital, for I empower people to respect the gift of life, by
knowing their HIV status. Ive experienced various obstacles in this field,
that has made our work quite challenging, but what is victory without a
struggle? Despite all the challenges and obstacles, we always leave every
intervention with a smile about a job well done for we deliver to people
the knowledge of their being a part of the positive and healing change
that we all wish to see in our country.
Percy Speelman