GENEVA, 4 July 2025—It is with profound sadness that UNAIDS learns of the passing of the former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr David Mabuza.

I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Deputy President Mabuza. In 2019, I had the honour of launching the World AIDS Day Report alongside him in South Africa. It was immediately evident that his support was not simply a matter of policy, it was personal, grounded in a long history of community-based advocacy and inclusive leadership.

As Chair of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Deputy President Mabuza was a key figure in advancing the country’s national response to HIV and tuberculosis. I was personally moved and assured by his unwavering commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat. He consistently demonstrated compassion, clarity, and political will, particularly in tackling the deeply entrenched stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV.

Even before ascending to the role of Deputy President, he had laid strong foundations for health equity and social justice at provincial level and beyond.

Deputy President Mabuza’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic also reinforced his dedication to ensuring access to health services for all, including key and vulnerable populations affected by HIV. Under his stewardship, SANAC continued to drive multisectoral efforts aligned to South Africa’s National Strategic Plan on HIV, TB, and STIs.

His legacy is one of dignity, inclusion, and action. On behalf of UNAIDS, I extend our deepest condolences to his family, colleagues in government and civil society, and the people of South Africa. We honour his life and recommit ourselves to the vision he championed: a world free of AIDS, where no one is left behind.

Winnie Byanyima
Executive Director, UNAIDS