Story

South Africa: Portraits of HIV Survivors and Those Who Are Gone

August 09, 2016 | PRI's The World
By
Misha Friedman
Orianda, 60, was first diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis in 2013.

Orianda, 60, was first diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis in 2013. She has recovered from tuberculosis, but has a cane and wears a corset to support her frail body. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2016.

Lutango Nompumelelo, 42, washes before going to the hospital. She shared her bed with her children Mcepisi and Akhona. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Mcepisi

Mcepisi, 15, after his mother, Lutango, died of tuberculosis in 2013. His younger sister was adopted by her biological father. He now lives all alone and is supported by neighbors. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Fundiswa

Fundiswa, 34, at a church where she sang. Fundiswa died in September 2013. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Likhanyise

Likhanyise, 6, poses for a photograph at the same spot in a church where his grandmother Fundiswa was photographed three years ago. Fundiswa died in September 2013. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2016.

Orianda diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis in this photograph taken in 2013, Gugulethu, Cape Town

Orianda reflects on how she felt when she found out about being diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis in this photograph taken in 2013, Gugulethu, Cape Town. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Orianda 2

Orianda, 60, was first diagnosed with HIV and tuberculosis in 2013. She has recovered from tuberculosis, but has a cane and wears a corset to support her frail body. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2016.

Fundiswa 2

Fundiswa, photographed here in May 2013, died in September of that year. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Fundiswa 3

Fundiswa at Gugulethu's Community Health Center. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Lutango 2

Lutango Nompumelelo seen here in May 2013. She died the following month after suffering from HIV and tuberculosis for many years. Gugulethu, Cape Town. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

Lutango 3

Lutango Nompumelelo in her backyard. 2013, Gugulethu, Cape Town. Image by Misha Friedman. South Africa, 2013.

South Africa is taking major steps in scaling up treatment and prevention services, yet it remains the country with the highest number of people living with HIV.

Three years have passed since I photographed women living with HIV and multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis in Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town. I recently returned to the country to attend the biennial UN HIV/AIDS conference in Durban, and I tried to find three women I met in 2013.

Of the three women, Lutango and Fundiswa have become statistics, memories; they died just months after I photographed them, from tuberculosis.

Their children and grandchildren were taken in by neighbors and relatives. Only Orianda is still alive, though most of her family has succumbed to the epidemic too.