PHOTOS: South African MP Discloses HIV Status After Ex Threatens To Go Public

ANC Member of Parliament Tasneem Motara has turned to social media to disclose that she is HIV positive. Motara says in her Facebook post that she is going public because her former partner, who she was in a relationship for six years, has threatened to reveal her status.

In her post, the National Council Of Provinces and member and Gauteng MPL reveals that she has been HIV positive for eight years and that she disclosed her status at the start of her relationship with the ex who is now threatening her. Apart from saying that she was infected by a former partner and that her viral load has been undetectable for a prolonged period of time, Motara has not shared any further details.
 
Her post has been commented on more than 400 times and has been shared more than 100 times. On Twitter, fellow politicians have posted messages of encouragement and support for the young mother.

Read post below 

Dear world,

So someone is threatening to reveal my status to you all. But let me save him the hassle of doing it. I have nothing to hide, but also some things are not necessary to share with people it doesn’t affect. But since I’m being threatened let me do it. Coz I don’t take kindly to threats. 

I’m HIV positive and have been for 8 years now, possibly more. I was infected by my former partner who kept his status from me. 
I committed to never keep it from anyone I would be in a relationship with and I did exactly that. Two weeks after meeting my now ex who is threatening to tell the world, I disclosed my status and he was fine with it, and we continued our relationship... for 6 years. 

Perhaps his threats are a good thing, it has made me add my voice to the destigmatisation that still is embedded in our society. 
My status has never defined me, it never will. My viral load is undetectable and has been for years. I am not a risk to anyone, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Let me get out of bed and go to my deployment...