Published by Spotlight The new government TB dashboard is a step forward for transparency and accountability in South Africa’s response to the ancient, but still deadly, disease. It is critical that we use it wisely to boost our testing efforts, argues a group of South Africa’s leading TB activists ahead of World TB Day on March 24th. After years of advocacy by TB survivors, researchers, health workers, community and civil society organisations, South Africa now has a national TB dashboard that posts TB statistics, which everyone can access, including members of the general public. This is a major win for transparency and […]
READ MORE
25 February 2026 Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana gave national and provincial departments of health a lot of homework in his budget speech yesterday, urging them to find efficient ways to manage their finances. In his speech, Godongwana had a hard line on inefficiencies in the system, saying “every programme and every allocation must demonstrate value, efficiency and accountability”. He added: “We have kept that promise, through our commitment to finding savings from unproductive expenditure, closing leakages, and rooting out inefficiencies. “Targeted and responsible savings are not a once-off initiative. They will be an ongoing and entrenched part of the budget […]
READ MORE
By: Aphelele Buqwana 13 February 2026 South Africa’s fight against the HIV pandemic will receive a major boost with the roll out of the six-monthly HIV prevention injection that will be rolled out this year, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa. But the TB Accountability Consortium flags the need for improved integration of HIV and TB services to ensure that the two epidemics are simultaneously dealt with. In his state of the nation address last night, SA President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country was finally able to start imagining a country without AIDS. “In support of our programmes to prevent and ultimately […]
READ MORE
By: Aphelele Buqwana and Palesa Chidi For many South Africans, the cost of basic healthcare has become its own kind of emergency. That is the reality that shaped the focus of Universal Health Coverage Day, marked on December 12. UHC Day is a global mark to reaffirm the commitment to ensuring that everyone can access quality healthcare without financial hardship. In the commemorations in South Africa that took place in Menlyn, Pretoria, the conversation shifted from abstract policy to everyday financial pressure felt in the clinics, hospitals and overall households. The National Department of Health has used this day to […]
READ MORE
Across the country’s provinces, TB champions are mobilising communities through events, workshops and community dialogues to raise awareness, educate them about TB symptoms, importance of testing, treatment adherence and prevention and support efforts to end TB. The activities bring TB education directly to the people most affected, providing communities across the country with direct access to TB information and support they need. These efforts form part of the TBAC Change Grant initiative, an advocacy support initiative started in November 2025 to support TB champions working in communities. The Change Grant gives champions some resources they need to engage with people, share information, involve communities […]
READ MORE
By: Aphelele Buqwana TB advocates, researchers and champions have been charged with the task of centering communities in their individual responses to South Africa’s ongoing TB crisis. This focus on community-centred efforts set the tone for the TB Accountability Consortium’s third annual convening, which brought together activists, TB champions, government representatives, partners and health experts to reflect on the country’s progress in the fight against TB. This year’s event, held between 27–28 November under the theme “Reigniting the Response: Reclaiming TB in the Global Health Storm,” provided a platform to discuss challenges, share lessons and look at strategies to strengthen […]
READ MORE
