SUPPORTING AFFIDAVIT

I, the undersigned, 
BONGIWE MKHUTYUKELWA
hereby make oath and state:

1.	I am a 25 year old female resident at W498, Site B, Khayelitsha.

2.	The facts herein fall within my personal knowledge unless is otherwise apparent or 
otherwise stated and is to the best of my knowledge both true and correct.

3.	I am single and have one child. I am unemployed and live with my sister. I am 
currently a member and volunteer in the Treatment Action Campaign and Wolanani 
in the Western Cape.

4.	I volunteered to be tested for HIV in 1999 while I was pregnant.  Even though I was 
counseled it was very difficult to cope. It was like going mad because I had to think 
about my health generally and about this HIV and I also had to think about the health 
of the child I was carrying.  

5.	During counseling I learnt that I should not breastfeed my child because I could pass 
on the virus to my child through breastmilk.  I was offered formula milk for free for 9 
months as part of the Khayelitsha mother-to-child transmission HIV prevention 
program. I was given AZT when I was eight months pregnant until labour and 
delivery. During delivery I was given tablets every three hours until I gave birth. After 
giving birth my child was given cotimoxazole after six weeks until I tested her. At the 
age of nine months my child tested HIV negative. She again tested negative at 
eighteen months.

6.	I am presently in good health because I was lucky to be on clinical trials. I haven't 
disclosed to my parents because I was not ready, but now through the skills I got 
from TAC I feel that I am ready. I even educate the public. I visit schools, clinics, 
support groups and trade unions to give education to people. I can't say I was ever 
discriminated against because of my status because there are only a few people in 
Cape Town who know me. Maybe I would feel different after disclosing to my family 
in Durban where I have friends also.

7.	It is very sad that our government keeps dragging its feet while we are dying and we 
bury people every day who died of HIV/AIDS. I believe antiretrovirals can be a 
solution because they showed a difference to me while I was pregnant. I therefore 
believe that by giving antiretrovirals to HIV positive people there should be a big 
difference.

8.	Mother-to-child transmission prevention programs are very effective. I have proved it 
to myself. By treating HIV positive pregnant mothers, the rate of HIV transmission 
from mother to child can be reduced and can also save thousands of lives. It is also 
cheaper to prevent babies from being infected with HIV than hospital and medical 
costs that will be incurred if a mother-to-child transmission prevention program is not 
implemented. 

__________________
DEPONENT

THUS SIGNED AND SWORN TO AT CAPE TOWN on this      day of AUGUST 2001 by the Deponent 
who has declared that she has read this affidavit, understands the contents thereof and has no objection 
to taking the prescribed oath, and regards the same as binding on her conscience.


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