July 13, 2017
We want to take a moment to pause with you and pay our respects to a revolutionary colleague and friend, Prudence Mabele, who passed away on July, 10 2017. AVAC joins advocates across the globe to honor Prudence and her impact on us all.
Pru, as many called her, was a fierce South African activist and leader in the HIV/AIDS, TB and human rights movements and, always, a defender for women’s rights. She was the founder of the Positive Women’s Network and a co-founder of Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and the National Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS of South Africa (NAPWA). She was part of several other international, regional and national initiatives and, as one of the first South African women to disclose her HIV status in the 1990s, an inspiration to a generation of activists from across the world.
You could not miss Pru, even in the most crowded space, with her wide smile, booming laugh and an authenticity that was always evident. Pru lived her truth. She defended the rights of people living with HIV aggressively and unapologetically. She was the first to the microphone to speak truth; the first to belt out just the right song at the right moment; and she was never afraid to be at the front of the room or protest or podium to call out injustice wherever she saw it.
She was a force of nature and a courageous leader, mentor and activist. The work she did and her fighting spirit will live on in the many people she made a mark on. Prudence was a light that shone bright and her light will stay with the many of us she touched, and those of us privileged to be in her circle and walking along the path she helped to pave.
Go in peace and power, Prudence – we will keep your legacy alive! We extend our heartfelt thoughts and condolences to Prudence’s family, colleagues, friends and loved ones.