Part 4: Disease and Denial
Episode notes
Just as South Africa becomes a new democracy with Nelson Mandela as president, the HIV/AIDS epidemic hits. The defiant activist Zackie Achmat rises, Thabo Mbeki spreads disinformation and pseudoscience, and Mandela confronts the disease ravaging his country.
Nelson Mandela was leading a brand-new democracy in South Africa when the HIV/AIDS epidemic hit. The disease was devastating, with few tools to fight it, and Mandela didn’t do enough. His presidential successor, Thabo Mbeki, made it even worse: he was a denialist who perpetuated misinformation, promoted conspiracy theories, and blocked the rollout of lifesaving treatments, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and a million orphaned. A defiant activist living with HIV, Zackie Achmat, stepped up, inspired a citizens’ movement, and brought the government to court. Wilmot James shares the forgotten story of the legacy of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and the consequences of leaders turning their backs on science.
REELBLUE AND COCOON AUDIO
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE PANDEMIC CENTER AND THE BROWN POLITICAL REVIEW
PRESENT LISTENING TO SHADOWS
PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE BENTLEY HOLT, ALICE IM AND CLARA BAISINGER-ROSEN
PRODUCTION SUPPORT JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER JR. LIBRARY
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS JENNIFER GALVIN AND BART WARSHAW
ILLUSTRATION BY ROKIA WHITEHOUSE, LYDIA SMITHEY AND ORLA MAXWELL
SOUND DESIGN AND AUDIO MIXING BY BART WARSHAW
EDITED BY JENNIFER GALVIN AND BART WARSHAW
WRITTEN BY WILMOT JAMES AND JENNIFER GALVIN
NARRATED BY WILMOT JAMES
DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY JENNIFER GALVIN
SPECIAL THANKS TO JENNIFER NUZZO AND JESSIE GRAHAM
MUSIC BY BLUEDOT AUDIO