Presidential Discourse on HIV/AIDS in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Abstract

This project analyzes the public discourse of three heads of South Africa on the spread of HIV/AIDS in the post-apartheid era. Each of these individuals – Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, and Jacob Zuma – exemplify the historical, political, and social factors that shaped their opinions and actions and ultimately their public discussion of AIDS. By looking at the way they publicly discuss HIV/AIDS through coding analysis of speeches they gave during their presidency, I argue that the way these individuals discussed the HIV/AIDS issue exemplified the issues most important to them as individuals rather than adequately addressing the spread of HIV. Analysis of the frequency with which each president spoke about AIDS and the way they framed AIDS in their speeches shows that leadership through vocal support of HIV/AIDS programming through public discourse combined with successful policy implementation was absent until President Jacob Zuma took office in 2009.