Foreword of ‘Fighting for our Lives: The History of the Treatment Action Campaign’

Problem of lack of access to treatment was not just about the price of drugs in South Africa.

Having been in the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) for ten years, I, like many other TAC members, feel that this book cannot have come out at any other time than now. This is because of the rich history that comes with telling the story of this organisation.

When TAC was launched on 10 December 1998, our agenda was to ensure that people living with HIV got access to safe and effective treatment, antiretroviral medicines in particular. These drugs were already available and widely used in developed countries. Sadly, it was not the case in South Africa. Antiretroviral treatment was so expensive that only a few and the rich could afford it. The majority of those living with HIV and in need of treatment were dying because they were too poor to access treatment. This fight was won in courtrooms and in the streets. We paved the way for the state to start providing comprehensive health care services.

But the problem of lack of access to treatment was not just about the price of drugs in South Africa. It was also about the lack of political leadership, starting from the top with ex-President Thabo Mbeki and the Ministry of Health under the late Minister of Health Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, all the way down to provinces like the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal. Consequently, this meant that no treatment plan was implemented until 2004. And there was no ambitious strategic plan until 2007, when the National Strategic Plan, or NSP as it is popularly called, was adopted by Cabinet. There was almost no access to treatment and there were many unnecessary and avoidable deaths.

South Africa became a playground for all sorts of charlatans who took advantage of the space and, to no surprise, the protection of government. This included people like Matthias Rath and Zeblon Gwala. Court cases and intense community mobilisation became the order of the day in dealing with a non-responsive and arrogant government.

Most importantly for many of us in TAC, this organisation became a centre of learning and leading. It became a home where we learned about politics, leadership, democracy, law and social mobilisation. It became more than just about HIV, but also about access to health care and what section 27 of the Constitution means.

We have combined different tactics such as community mobilisation, the South African Constitution and law, education, research and use of the media to achieve our ends. This is why TAC has transformed many of us in ways we never thought would ever be possible.

I hope that as you read this book you will learn and appreciate this important struggle in our new democracy. I hope too that you will be inspired to go out there and do the same, if not more.