Professor Salim Abdool Karim has called upon the nation to utilise the recently approved R1.9 billion (US$115 million) from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) Bridge Plan to promote independence in managing the HIV/Aids crisis.

The Pepfar Bridge Plan (PBP) is set to provide vital support from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026.

The South African Cabinet expressed its gratitude for the ongoing commitment from the US government.

During a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced the approval, highlighting that the PBP aims to ensure uninterrupted HIV service delivery, focusing on country-specific needs and essential services.

This comes in light of a recent funding freeze by the US government, which resulted in job losses and disruptions to service provision earlier this year.

Dr Munya Saruchera, director of the Africa Centre for HIV/Aids Management at Stellenbosch University, previously reported that Pepfar had been partnering with the government to provide anti-retroviral treatment to more than 4 million people in 27 high-burden districts throughout South Africa.

Speaking in reaction to the announcement on Friday, Abdool Karim, director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa), said South Africa has a good Aids Control Programme and the Pepfar programme helped build it and support it over the years.

However, he said when the funding was cut, we moved in a different direction towards becoming self-sufficient in our Aids Control Programme.

He emphasised the importance of this step, stating that while South Africa might not be able to match the scale of US funding, the nation was capable of undertaking many crucial initiatives.

“The way I look at it is that… You can’t stop something in February and then change your mind tomorrow. You can’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again. It can’t be done. We’ve moved on. The world has changed in that time,” he said.

Abdool Karim is of the view that any funding that the US gives should really be put towards funding the transition towards independence.

“We should never fall into the trap of depending on the US, because with the current government in the US, firstly, they are cruel and vindictive, and they change their minds all the time,” he said.

As an example, Abdool Karim cited the US government’s accusation that South Africa was harming white farmers. Earlier this year, the US government permitted dozens of white Afrikaner farmers to resettle in the US as refugees.

The approval of the PEPFAR Bridge Plan underscores the unpredictable nature of US decision-making.

“It’s not about doing something for a year. If you want to be seriously involved in Aids control, you have to commit for a long period, and you have to have stable resources. There is no telling what’s going to happen in a few months’ time? They’re providing this funding for six months; how do we know any of it’s going to carry on?”

Abdool Karim questioned how anyone could be certain the US would not impose new sanctions on South Africa when organisations like Solidarity lobby the US government about the perceived failures of the South African government.

“The US is unreliable, and we need to get to a point where we are not dependent on them going forward,” he said.

However, Abdool Karim thanked the US for making funds available for six months but emphasised that it should only be used to support the transition to total independence.

“We do want to thank them for the money, but we want them to understand that you can’t do this today and then change your mind tomorrow. It doesn’t work,” he said.

Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, scientific director of the HIV Pathogenesis Programme and a Professor in HIV/TB Research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said this is wonderful news.

Ndung’u said most people agree that dependence on the US is not sustainable and so what we have been calling for is a rational, well thought-through phase-out of support programmes.

“This funding is a step in the right direction. No one is safe from a pandemic, and this kind of cooperation is what is needed to ensure that the response against Aids is sustained,” he said.

karen.singh@inl.co.za

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