President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi are set to officially launch Lenacapavir at the Lilian Ngoyi Stadium in Secunda, Mpumalanga, on Friday, marking a significant milestone in South Africa’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
The rollout fulfils a commitment made by President Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address in February, when he announced that government would undertake a large-scale rollout of the six-monthly injection, which has proven highly effective in preventing HIV transmission.
According to the Presidency, the introduction of Lenacapavir highlights collaboration between government, civil society, the private sector and development partners in efforts to curb new HIV infections. The injectable is administered twice a year, offering a more convenient alternative to daily oral HIV prevention medication.
Government plans to begin distributing the medicine through 360 health facilities in high-burden districts across the country. Priority groups include adolescent girls and young women, pregnant and breastfeeding women, sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people and people who inject drugs.
The launch comes as South Africa continues to carry one of the world’s largest HIV burdens. Statistics South Africa estimates that 8.15 million people were living with HIV in 2025, representing about 12.9% of the population.
Health authorities believe Lenacapavir could help overcome many of the challenges associated with daily HIV prevention medication by improving convenience, privacy and treatment adherence.
South Africa became the first African country to approve the medicine when the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority authorised its use in October 2025.
The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) has described the rollout as a “new chapter in HIV prevention”, while Motsoaledi says the country is in a position to pursue the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health threat.
The launch also comes ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS later this month, where world leaders will review progress in the global response to HIV and AIDS.
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