Abstract
This article discusses the actions undertaken by the South African government to uphold human rights among HIV infected individuals. 15 years into the AIDS epidemic South Africa has a reasonable record of asserting and defending the civil rights of people living with HIV. Human rights principles are entrenched in the National AIDS Plan. Up until mid-1997 the Minister of Health defended rights to privacy and confidentiality even when the Director-General of the Department of Health was questioning them. Recently the government reinforced its commitment to these rights when it prohibited pre-employment HIV testing throughout the public service including the military. Many people with HIV will need to be forgiven for asking about the lasting value of civil rights when right issues related to risk of infection treatment and care are not resolved. Finally the civil political and socioeconomic rights of people with HIV/AIDS and people vulnerable to HIV infection cannot be resolved without a resolution of major causes of inequality that bedevil Africa. South Africa might feel proud of its Bill of Rights but without an attempt to give solid consideration to socioeconomic rights including access to health care in the context of AIDS as one of its central aims the human rights of all people will remain unfulfilled.
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