CONTRARY to some outrageous figures doing the rounds that one in four South African’s is HIV positive, (call them urban legends if you will), the prevelance of HIV is a lot lower than the scare stories presume. According to the Nelson-Mandela/HSRC study, HIV prevalance is closer to one in ten, or roughly 10.8 percent of the population.

Still alarming and no reason to be any less vigilent. Compared to some of the strange figures emerging from the daily press (some TAC members claim 60% of South Africans are HIV positive) this politically-incorrect interpretation, provides a rather sobering and, I guess refreshing perspective. But it all depends upon how one views the world — either from a half-a-tipple empty or half-a-beer-glass full perspective?

The latest stats have been published by none other than the TAC’s own Equal Treatment journal (March 2006) taken from a study conducted by the HSRC in 2005, which updates (and diminishes) earlier figures of a 11.4% prevelance (South African’s over the age of two with HIV) done in 2002.

All a long way off from end-of-the-worldism, doom and gloom, we’re all going to die from the bug or be forced to marry young virgins, school of behaviour modification?