Mashatile to Rally Business Leaders Behind Sustainable HIV and TB Funding

Deputy President Paul Mashatile is set to meet private sector leaders in Johannesburg on Thursday as government seeks to strengthen partnerships that can help close funding gaps in South Africa's response to HIV, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. The engagement forms part of government's effort to bring business, civil society and the public sector into a stronger national compact on health financing, especially at a time when health systems are under pressure and long-term donor funding is becoming less certain. Mashatile, in his role as Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council, is expected to use the meeting to call for deeper private sector participation in prevention, treatment, workplace health programmes, innovation and resource mobilisation. The discussion comes at a critical moment for South Africa, which carries one of the world's largest HIV treatment programmes and continues to face a heavy TB burden, making sustainable funding essential for protecting lives, keeping people on treatment and preventing new infections. Government's message is that HIV and TB are not only health challenges, but also economic and social challenges that affect productivity, families, workplaces and the country's development path. The meeting is expected to place renewed attention on the need for shared responsibility. Public funding remains central to South Africa's health response, but government is increasingly looking to business leaders to help strengthen resilience through targeted investment, workplace screening, employee wellness programmes, community outreach and support for innovation in prevention and care. For companies, the call is also practical: healthier workers mean stronger productivity, fewer disruptions and more stable communities. By engaging business directly, Mashatile is aiming to shift the conversation from short-term support to long-term partnership, where the private sector becomes an active contributor to the national fight against HIV, TB and STIs rather than a distant observer. SAnews reported that the Johannesburg meeting is specifically aimed at strengthening partnerships to address funding challenges in the national HIV, TB and STI response. The broader significance of the engagement lies in the future of South Africa's public health model. As the country works to maintain treatment access, expand prevention and reach vulnerable communities, reliable financing will determine whether hard-won gains are protected or weakened. HIV and TB programmes require more than medicine; they depend on testing, counselling, community health workers, data systems, laboratories, public education, transport support, workplace involvement and strong local implementation. Mashatile's engagement with business leaders therefore signals a wider push to build a more sustainable, locally supported health response, one that can withstand funding shocks while continuing to serve millions of people. The outcome of the meeting will be closely watched by health stakeholders, because it could shape how government and business cooperate in protecting South Africa's progress against HIV and TB while strengthening the country's broader health and economic resilience.