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Celebs Who’ve Been Affected By HIV

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Phindile Sithole-Spong

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SABC1’s Rise presenter, Phindile Sithole-Spong found out at 19 that she had full blown AIDS after suddenly falling ill. Manoeuvring through young adulthood at university was tricky she admits. “On my 22nd birthday, while driving home from dinner, my then boyfriend suddenly flipped and called me a murderer who was going to infect and kill him with my HIV. He kicked me out of the car and left me in the middle of nowhere,” she says. Now engaged to the love of her life, the 27 year old says the biggest scare about living with HIV is wondering how your body will handle growing old with HIV. “Chances of having cervical cancer are 50% more for HIV-positive women. I panic each time I get sick.” Despite that and a history of being sexually molested by her uncle in her childhood, Phindile maintains a positive attitude and plans on having children of her own in the future.

Vusi Nova

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The singer, revealed to Drum magazine recently that his current album, Naninina has helped him heal from his tumulous past of drugs and losing his parents. He revealed to the magazine that when his mother passed he was often ashamed to divulge that she had indeed died of HIV. He says: "At some point I used to lie to people and say my mother died of cancer because I was afraid to say my mother had HIV," he told the local publication. "I was too scared to say I once took drugs to numb pain."

Nokuthula Lwedaba

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The former Rhythm City actress revealed her mother died from the condition in 2005 while awaiting ARVs the health department had run out of at the time.

Charlie Sheen

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Sheen revealed last year he was HIV positive and had paid an amount totalling to millions of dollars to prevent the news from being leaked as he had been diagnosed four years prior to revealing his status. Speaking to NBC, the actor said one woman whom he had paid for sex had taken a photo of his HIV medication in his bathroom and said she would leak it to the press if he didn’t pay up.

Magic Johnson

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Johnson is one of the first celebrities to disclose his HIV status to the world in 1991 after being diagnosed at 32. At 57 he’s been an example that it’s possible through correct medication to maintain a long-lasting healthy life with the disease.

Koyo Bala

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The late 3Sum singer who passed away earlier this year at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town after lost his battle to cancer. In 2011 Koyo had disclosed his HIV-positive status to the country.

Lesego Motsepe

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Popular for playing Lettie Matabane on Isidingo, the actress disclosed her HIV status on Kaya FM on World Aids Day in 2011. Sadly the star passed away in 2014.

Fana “DJ Khabzela” Khaba

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In 2003 then, YFM DJ, Khabzela disclosed his HIV-positive status publicly on the station. A month before he died in 2004, he was given the National Builder’s Award in recognition of his contribution to the fight against HIV/Aids.

Zombo

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Tebogo Ndlovu popularly known as Abashante member, Zombo passed away in 2008 soon after revealing his HIV status on SABC1’s Live.

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