Ahead of this year’s World TB Day commemoration, the SANAC Civil Society Forum, in collaboration with the National Department of Health and the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, convened a TB Symposium at Victoria Hall in Caledon, Overberg District Municipality, on 23 March 2026. The symposium formed part of the build-up to the main commemoration held at the Caledon Sports Ground the following day, reinforcing a coordinated national effort to end tuberculosis (TB).
Observed under the global theme “Yes, you and I can End TB,” World TB Day continues to highlight the urgent need for collective responsibility and sustained action. In this context, the symposium provided a critical platform for reflection, knowledge-sharing, and alignment among stakeholders, while amplifying the role of communities in shaping effective responses to both TB and HIV.
Bringing together senior government officials, civil society leaders, political representatives, and local community members, the symposium created a safe and inclusive space for dialogue and accountability. Participants engaged in honest reflections on both the progress made and the persistent challenges in the fight against TB.
The programme featured an overview of the SANAC Civil Society Forum and its role in advancing community-led responses to HIV and TB. Key presentations included findings from the Stigma Index, which highlighted the ongoing impact of stigma and discrimination on access to care, as well as a comprehensive HIV/TB situational analysis. These insights set the stage for robust discussions focused on closing treatment gaps, improving service delivery, and accelerating progress toward ending TB.
Community voices remained central throughout the dialogue. Individuals shared powerful lived experiences of contracting TB, undergoing treatment, and ultimately recovering. These testimonies reinforced a vital message: TB is curable, and successful treatment depends on early detection and strict adherence to the standard six-month treatment regimen. By placing human stories at the forefront, the symposium helped to break down stigma, inspire hope, and encourage more people to seek testing and care.
Civil society organisations, including organised labour through COSATU, played a key role in mobilising participation—particularly among farm workers in the Caledon area. As a predominantly agricultural community, many farm workers face structural barriers to accessing healthcare, making them especially vulnerable to TB. Their inclusion ensured that awareness, screening services, and critical health information reached those most at risk.
The discussions also underscored the importance of sustained investment in health programmes. Ms Mulalo Murudi of COSATU, speaking in her capacity as Co-Chair of the South African Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Board, noted that approximately US$402 million has been secured through the Global Fund to support HIV and TB programmes in South Africa. This funding is expected to strengthen service delivery and support the rollout of innovative prevention solutions, including Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention option set to be introduced at health facilities nationwide. She further emphasised the need for government to prioritise sustainability to ensure long-term impact beyond donor support.
The TB Symposium and the subsequent World TB Day commemoration demonstrated the power of collective action. By bringing together government, civil society, and communities, the events reinforced the importance of partnerships in addressing public health challenges and affirmed a shared national commitment to accelerating efforts to end TB.