Soldiers’ Group, Advocates To Challenge South African Military Force Hiring Policy Restricting HIV-Positive Applicants

The AIDS Law Project and a South African soldiers' union are challenging in the country's High Court the South African National Defense Force's "contentious policy" not to employ HIV-positive individuals, African Eye/AllAfrica.com reports. The South African Security Forces Union will represent three SANDF applicants who were allegedly told that they must undergo HIV testing before they could be employed. In addition, ALP has already agreed to represent three different HIV-positive individuals who were refused employed by SANDF. According to SASFU spokesperson Pat Ntsobi, SANDF's HIV policy has been in place since 1988 but has not reduced the number of HIV-positive soldiers. Ntsobi "condemned" Defense Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who recently stated in parliament that all SANDF staff should be tested for HIV and that the statistics would be made public, for supporting the policy. SANDF is exempt from South African labor legislation that protects HIV-positive workers from discrimination. ALP attorney Jennifer Joni said the court papers would likely be filed before the end of the month (Samayende, African Eye/AllAfrica.com, 9/3).