JOHANNESBURG - Despite inroads made in the fight against HIV/AIDs, Stats SA reports that HIV prevalence has increased from 8.3% in 2002 to 12.3% in 2026. Desmond Tutu HIV Centre Director Prof Linda-Gail Bekker says these figures reflect both progress and ongoing challenges. “The good news is it means that people are dying less of HIV, and this is because we have rolled out the biggest HIV treatment program in the world. According to Bekker, attention should now shift to HIV prevention, which includes creating access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). “This is where we use antiretroviral therapies in people who are not living with HIV to prevent them from getting HIV.