AFTERWORDA Future for Themba:
Children, Youth and AIDS in South Africa
South Africa is a young country full of hope: more than half the population is younger than sixteen. The South African democracy is also young: it was only founded in 1994, bringing to an end centuries of racist oppression. Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for decades for fighting for justice for all, became the first freely elected president.
But people’s hopes for a better future in a free and democratic South Africa are in danger. More than 1000 people die of AIDS every day in South Africa, a country with a population of just over 40 million. More than 2000 mainly young people are infected with the HI-Virus every day in South Africa. How is this possible?
It can only be this way because, in spite of general inf
