WAS THERE A PLOT TO WIPE OUT BLACK S. AFRICANS WITH HIV?

For decades, the Southern African region has been the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Most of the countries in the region have HIV prevalence rates of over 10% - versus a global prevalence rate of 0.8%. For instance, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 18.8% of South Africans between the ages of 15 and 49 were HIV positive as of 2024. The figure for neighbouring eSwatini is even worse - at 25.9%.

For a long time, scientists and policymakers have been baffled as to why the region is more affected by the virus than other parts of the world. Many theories have emerged regarding what could be behind this high prevalence rate. One of the most shocking - seen by some as a conspiracy - is the claim that White supremacist forces deliberately spread HIV among Black South Africans during the apartheid era.

In this video, African Stream's Clinton Nzala takes a closer look into this jaw-dropping allegation.

Sources:

https://newafricanmagazine.com/18285/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/27/south-african-intelligence-officers-spread-aids-black-communities

https://www.unodc.org/newsletter/en/perspectives/no02/page005.html#:~:text=With%20a%20national%20HIV%20prevalence,:%20Zapiro/Mail%20and%20Guardian.