<![CDATA[SANPUD

<![CDATA[SANPUD - NEWS]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:45:04 +0200Weebly<![CDATA[Holding Space for Lived Experience: SANPUD’s Media Engagement at the Vusubuntu Launch]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:07:50 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/holding-space-for-lived-experience-sanpuds-media-engagement-at-the-vusubuntu-launchPeople who use drugs, and people with lived and living experience of using drugs, stand at the centre of South Africa’s shift toward a human‑rights‑led and evidence‑based approach to drug policy. Their knowledge comes from daily reality, and their voices carry the clarity that policy discussions often miss. SANPUD’s participation in the Vusubuntu Coalition launch made space for these voices to be heard, supported by team members who prepared carefully, shaped their examples with dignity and showed up to speak as experts in their own lives. The media coverage that followed reflects how people, when given time, support and respect, strengthen national understanding of why decriminalisation matters.

Preparing for the Launch

In the days before the launch, SANPUD team members sat together and worked through the Vusubuntu Coalition literature, linking its purpose to their daily work with people who use drugs. The preparation focused on how their experience in community spaces connects directly to the coalition’s goals, and how this grounding would help them speak with clarity and dignity during interviews. The team also discussed practical ways to support media attending the launch, making sure journalists had access to accurate information, steady spokespersons and a respectful environment for coverage.

Showing Up for Media Engagement

Charne Roberts prepared the quote used in the media release, shaping a grounded moment that showed how small actions strengthen safer, more respectful public conversations. Her line helped anchor the release in lived experience and set the tone for the coverage that followed.
Natalie Jacobs set time aside for her interview with Bush Radio, offering a calm, steady explanation of why decriminalisation matters for people who use drugs. Her preparation made the interview clear and accessible to listeners who may not know SANPUD’s work.
Lucky Ndlovu supported language diversity by giving an interview in Zulu, widening access and ensuring that people could hear the message in a language that carries their daily reality. His contribution strengthened the reach of the launch and supported respectful representation.
Charity Monareng represented the Vusubuntu Coalition on CapeTalk, offering a factual, grounded explanation of the coalition’s purpose. Angela McBride’s speech during the launch was later quoted in media coverage, showing how leadership and lived experience work together to support public understanding.

These actions show how preparation, presence and teamwork help SANPUD hold space for lived experience in national conversations about decriminalisation. The work continues, and the voices remain steady.

]]><![CDATA[SANPUD and UNDP Advocacy Support Expands Access to Lenacapavir: Now Available at Selected Clinics Across South Africa]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:39:26 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/undp-support-expands-access-to-lenacapavir-now-available-at-selected-clinics-across-south-africaLenacapavir is a new long‑acting HIV prevention option now available at selected clinics, and this page offers a simple explaination of how it works, who can receive it and what people can expect when starting it.

Beginning with Access

Lenacapavir is now available at selected clinics throughout South Africa.It is a long acting HIV prevention option for people who are not living with HIV and who want additional protection against HIV. It is a form of pre exposure prophylaxis that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV and is designed for people who prefer a long acting option rather than daily tablets.

Why Lenacapavir Matters for People Who Use Drugs

Lenacapavir is useful for people who use drugs because it fits into the real conditions of their lives. Many people move between temporary places, share space with others or have limited privacy for storing medication. Daily HIV prevention can be difficult under these circumstances. Lenacapavir offers an option that requires fewer clinic visits and does not depend on daily routines. One injection provides six months of protection and only two injections are needed each year.

How Lenacapavir Is Started

Lenacapavir is started over two days at the clinic.

Day One
People receive two injections. The main injection site is the stomach area. Alternative sites such as the thighs or buttocks are used when needed, including for pregnant people. This begins the long acting protection.

Day Two
People return to the clinic for booster tablets and receive a box of take home tablets to complete the initiation process. The medication begins working within three days and people return every six months for ongoing coverage.

What People Need Before Starting

Before receiving Lenacapavir, people must have an HIV test and must be HIV negative. People receive information and counselling so that they can make informed choices about their health. Regular HIV testing remains important while using Lenacapavir.
Most side effects are mild and may include pain, swelling or redness at the injection site, headache or tiredness. If side effects do not improve, people should seek medical advice.

Lenacapavir Is One Option Among Many

Lenacapavir is only one HIV prevention option. Needle and syringe programmes, opioid agonist therapy, HIV testing, condoms, lubricants, peer support and access to respectful healthcare remain essential. People who use drugs have the right to accurate information, confidentiality and HIV prevention services. Nobody should be forced to use Lenacapavir.

How Harm Reduction Teams Support Access

Harm reduction teams are helping people understand where Lenacapavir is available and how it can support their health. The medication is currently offered at selected clinics and teams are sharing information so that people know exactly where they can go to receive it.

Continuing the Work

The introduction of Lenacapavir expands HIV prevention choices for people who use drugs. It supports real conditions, reduces daily demands and strengthens long term protection. The work continues. Sharing information. Supporting access. Ensuring that people can choose the HIV prevention method that fits their lives.

]]><![CDATA[Youth Who Use Drugs Taking Action Through SANPUD’s Community Networks]]>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:35:01 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/young-people-shaping-their-own-futures-across-south-africaAs South Africa commemorates 50 years of Youth Day, young people in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape are taking steady steps that strengthen their health, leadership and communities.

Youth who use drugs are taking steady steps to strengthen their knowledge, build confidence and create opportunities for themselves and others. Across these provinces, members of the community of people who use drugs are demonstrating that lived experience can be a source of leadership, knowledge and action. Whether preparing an international conference abstract, engaging with HIV prevention information or building community initiatives, they continue to create opportunities for themselves and those around them.

A youth forum representative in Durban, participants in Tshwane and Caledon, and a young advocate in Durban each shared moments that show how learning, leadership and community action are taking shape. These moments show young leaders acting with agency and remind us that youth involved in SANPUD’s work continue to move forward even in environments shaped by stigma and limited access to services

Youth Stepping Into Leadership

A young representative from the Siyasonke Youth Forum met with SANPUD staff to work through the steps of preparing his first INHSU conference abstract. He asked for guidance and spent time reviewing a reference example that helped him understand how to shape his submission. He also set a target date for completing it. The meeting took place online and connected him to national youth structures that support his growth. His work gives him a pathway into global advocacy spaces and strengthens his confidence as a young leader who is ready to speak for himself. SANPUD stayed close to the process, offering support when it was needed and remaining present as he found his own voice.

Young People Learning Together in Tshwane and Caledon

In Tshwane and Caledon, representatives of youth from the community joined PrEP and PEP information sessions where they asked questions, corrected misconceptions and shared what they already knew. They listened to one another as they made sense of the information and related it to their own experiences. These conversations took place in hotspots and community spaces where access to accurate health information is often limited. Their engagement helped them gain clearer knowledge about HIV prevention and encouraged continued contact with local health services. This strengthens their ability to protect their health and support others in their networks. SANPUD staff were part of these moments, offering information when asked and maintaining a steady presence that helped the conversations unfold.

Young people move their communities forward when they act on their own knowledge, questions and ideas."

A Durban Youth Initiative Taking Shape

In Durban, a young advocate introduced his initiative called Shintsha Mjita during a meeting with SANPUD’s provincial coordinator. He explained how he is building partnerships with a local beverage company and planning awareness activities in schools and communities. The conversation took place in the same city where he first connected with SANPUD through a TikTok live session that opened the door to further support. His initiative strengthens local awareness and builds community networks. It also contributes to youth-led advocacy in the city and shows how young people create their own pathways when they see a need. SANPUD remained alongside him as he described his plans, offering support that followed the direction he had already chosen.

Systems Working Beside Youth from the Community of People Who Use Drugs

Across all three provinces, SANPUD staff created opportunities for youth with lived experience of using drugs to participate, learn and lead. These actions supported the choices participants were already making and linked them to broader harm reduction systems that recognise their agency and potential.

What Comes Next

In every province, youth who use drugs are taking action in their own communities. They are preparing conference presentations, strengthening their HIV prevention knowledge and building local initiatives that support others. With SANPUD creating opportunities, connections and steady support, these young community members who use drugs continue to show leadership, creativity and determination. Their drug‑use experience does not prevent participation. It often becomes the starting point for meaningful change and it helps communities stay informed, connected and active.

]]><![CDATA[From Mahala Flats to the Taxi Rank Health Services Delivery Campaign: SANPUD’s Presence Kept Care Within Reach]]>Mon, 25 May 2026 12:50:22 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/from-mahala-flats-to-the-taxi-rank-health-services-delivery-campaign-sanpuds-presence-kept-care-within-reachWhen care moves closer to daily life, connection grows stronger and health becomes possible again.

Mahala Flats: Support in Shifting Conditions

Earlier in the year, the SANPUD Medical Linkage Officer in Gauteng visited Mahala Flats at a time when conditions were changing quickly and support was urgently needed. The visit showed how easily living environments can deteriorate for people who use drugs when stability is fragile. Rooms were crowded, health was declining, and many residents were carrying the weight of untreated mental health challenges.
The officer listened, assessed and made referrals where possible, focusing on what could be done immediately without overwhelming people already under strain. The aim was simple: respond to the presenting needs of people and keep care within reach.

A Woman Trying to Return to Treatment

One woman stood out. She had defaulted on antiretroviral treatment and Opioid Substitution Therapy after losing both her mother and sister in a short space of time. Grief had pushed her out of care, and she was trying to manage alone.
The SANPUD Medical Linkage Officer assisted her and referred her to the Community Oriented Substance Use Programme site at Bosman Street for methadone and counselling. It was a small but steady step back into treatment, taken at her pace and without pressure.

Meeting people where they are is often the first step in helping someone reconnect with care.”

National Work on OAT Access

During this period, the SANPUD Technical Advisor continued national work to address the barriers that make it difficult for people to stay on Opioid Agonist Therapy. He raised concerns about inconsistent methadone supply, rigid dispensing schedules and the lack of psychosocial support at some sites. He also highlighted the impact of missed doses and the administrative delays that make it difficult for people to re‑enter treatment after interruptions.
By bringing real cases from crisis visits into these discussions, the Technical Advisor helped shift attention from policy statements to practical steps clinics and partners could take to stabilise access.

Bushbuckridge: Health Services at the Taxi Rank

The PWUD Sub‑Sector National Deputy Chairperson and Country Coordinating Mechanism Alternate Member joined the Taxi Rank Health Services Delivery Campaign in Bushbuckridge, working alongside Local Drug Action Committee and Community Safety Forum partners. Together, they brought health services directly to a high‑traffic public space. People were screened, counselled and linked to care without needing to navigate long queues or unfamiliar clinics.
The campaign showed how accessible support becomes when services are taken to places where people already are.

A Presence That Continues

SANPUD continues to remain present in the places where people who use drugs face the greatest barriers, responding to crises, supporting access to treatment and working alongside partners in public spaces where care is needed most. This steady presence keeps support within reach, even as conditions shift and the work of staying connected to care continues.

]]><![CDATA[From City Streets to Continental Calls, Communities of People Who Use Drugs Stay Connected and Active]]>Tue, 19 May 2026 11:08:51 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/from-city-streets-to-continental-calls-pwud-networks-stayed-strong-togetherCommunities of people who use drugs do more than keep each other connected; they give people a voice in their own lives and a role in keeping one another safe and informed. This could be seen from city streets in South Africa to virtual rooms shared with women who use drugs across the continent, shaping a period of steady contact, shared learning and a widening sense of solidarity.

The Medical Linkage Officer in Gauteng spent time walking through the city centre, visiting Mahala Flats, Mandela Drive, Marabastad Taxi Rank, Bosman Station, Burgers Park and Gezina Park. These outreach visits helped the team understand how people were coping after the festive season, as heavy rains had damaged some shelters and a few people had not yet returned from travelling. Even so, many spoke about their continued access to harm reduction services and the relief of not facing police harassment or confiscation of their supplies. These check ins matter because they help people feel seen and remind them that support is close, while also confirming who is present, who is reachable and what conditions people are facing. This is network verification done on foot, grounded in real conversations and lived experience.

SANPUD staff in other provinces continued their own forms of verification. In KwaZulu Natal, the Provincial Coordinator confirmed the status of networks and updated their details through phone calls, emails and WhatsApp engagements. In the Western Cape, the Community Linkage Officer reached out to individuals and groups to check whether their contact information remained accurate. Several networks confirmed that they were still active while others needed follow up. This is the online and remote side of network verification, the steady work that keeps formal networks updated and ensures that community members remain reachable. These small acts of verification may seem simple, yet they form the quiet structure that allows people to stay informed and included.

Active communities grow, adapt and keep people informed and safe.”

PWUD leaders continued to hold the national and provincial calls that keep conversations active where people who use drugs' voices are needed. These calls help ensure that the lived experience of people who use drugs is present in discussions that shape policy and practice, and the commitment of PWUD leaders to showing up, sharing updates and raising concerns keeps the sector connected and ready to participate.

SANPUD team members attended a virtual enagement named Women Who Use Drugs In Africa facilitated By Rita Gatonya from the Women In Response To HIV and Aids and Drug Addiction. The meeting brought together participants to share experiences and discuss the availability of services. They agreed to continue meeting and to build regional collaboration through monthly calls and joint initiatives. This is another form of safety — the safety that comes from knowing that others across the continent are working toward the same goals and facing similar challenges.

UseNetworks remain central to SANPUD’s work, and their ability to stay reachable is what keeps communities connected and active. Networks can keep themselves connected by responding to communication from head office and updating their contact details when needed, ensuring that support, information and participation continue without interruption.
Use this link to keep your details up to date

]]><![CDATA[Charne Roberts Brings Community Expertise to Regional SRHR Review]]>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:18:22 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/charne-roberts-brings-community-expertise-to-regional-srhr-reviewOn 20 April in Johannesburg, Charne Roberts, Advocacy Manager at SANPUD, joined a regional gathering of community leaders and partners to serve as a peer reviewer for the 2Gether 4 SRHR Innovation Fund. The invitation reflects a clear recognition of the expertise that grows from lived experience and the value of community leadership in shaping sexual and reproductive health and rights across East and Southern Africa.

The Other Foundation’s role in convening this process offers an important point of connection. Their work to advance equality and social justice for LGBTIQ+ people in Southern Africa is grounded in an understanding that people carry multiple identities that influence their access to rights and safety. This commitment to dignity and inclusion creates a natural alignment with the realities faced by key populations such as women who use drugs, sex workers and gender diverse people. Intersectionality becomes a practical lens rather than a theoretical idea because it reflects how people live and how they navigate systems that are not always designed with them in mind.

Charne’s contribution draws from this lived reality. Her experience within the community provides insight into the barriers that shape daily life and the forms of resilience that communities build for themselves. This kind of knowledge strengthens programmes by keeping them connected to the conditions people face and by ensuring that solutions remain grounded in what is possible and necessary.
The Innovation Fund’s approach affirms that meaningful progress in SRHR depends on the presence of community voices in decision making spaces. It recognises that expertise is not limited to institutions and that learning often begins with those who carry the weight of exclusion.
This moment in Johannesburg stands as a reminder that intersectional leadership is essential for a more just and inclusive SRHR landscape and that lived experience continues to guide the way forward.

]]><![CDATA[When Communities Lead: A Story of the Harm Reduction Bill of Kenya 2025]]>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:04:17 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/when-communities-lead-a-story-of-the-harm-reduction-bill-of-kenya-2025Kenya’s first Harm Reduction Bill did not emerge in isolation—it grew from years of deliberate, feminist, community‑led organising supported by the Love Alliance, SANPUD, INPUD, and regional peer networks.

As the report When Communities Lead: A Story of the Harm Reduction Bill of Kenya 2025 shows, these partnerships helped transform informal grassroots groups into confident policy actors, equipped with the language of rights, advocacy, and law. Their leadership reshaped national conversations, strengthened CSO accountability, and laid the foundation for a regional model of community‑driven drug policy reform.

]]><![CDATA[Community Leadership in Action: SANPUD at the INHSU 2025 Conference]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:14:28 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/community-leadership-in-action-sanpud-at-the-inhsu-2025-conferenceSANPUD played a central and highly visible role throughout the INHSU 2025 Conference, held from 14–17 October 2025 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

SANPUD harm reduction services in the week.

Across the week, SANPUD led and supported key activities including overdose‑prevention coordination with international experts, supplying naloxone, establishing a community responder system, and managing real‑time safety communication.

SANPUD played a central role in strengthening harm reduction safety at INHSU2025 by coordinating a community led overdose prevention system that brought experienced responders together and created a shared protocol for rapid support. The team ensured naloxone kits were available and placed directly in the hands of community members. They set up real time communication channels, provided an emergency response phone, and supported peers to respond locally when incidents occurred. This approach helped maintain consistent safety standards across a diverse group of participants and demonstrated how practical coordination can protect people in moments of uncertainty.

Below is a full report of the activities in the week.

SANPUD also co‑convened major pre‑conference events, including Policy Day, WWUD and stimulant‑use trainings, and global CAB sessions. During the main conference, SANPUD’s leadership was prominent across Community Day, the African Harm Reduction Showcase, stimulant harm‑reduction dialogues, prison‑health panels, and the EMCR networking event.

INHSU Policy day report

The INHSU Policy Day 2025 brought together policymakers, community leaders and global partners in Cape Town to advance access to harm reduction services across Africa. Delivered in partnership with SANPUD, the meeting centred community leadership as essential to effective, sustainable responses for people who use drugs. Discussions focused on overcoming political, legal and operational barriers, strengthening multisectoral collaboration, and embedding harm reduction within public health systems. Drawing on country experiences and lived expertise, the Policy Day produced practical, evidence‑based recommendations to support policy reform, protect human rights, and scale community‑led services that save lives and strengthen health systems across the region.

Read or download the full report on Policy Day below.

INHSU 2025 Conference

SANPUD members documented sessions, strengthened cross‑country solidarity, and elevated lived‑experience leadership, with standout contributions such as Linda Malaka’s widely praised nursing presentation. Overall, SANPUD helped anchor the conference in community‑led practice, safety, and African harm‑reduction leadership.
For a summary of the Conference, read or download the Report Summaries below.

]]><![CDATA[Highlights from SANPUD’s Participation at the 7th Pan Africa ILGA Conference]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:01:31 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/highlights-from-sanpuds-participation-at-the-7th-pan-africa-ilga-conferenceThe 7th Pan Africa ILGA Regional Conference took place in Muldersdrift, Johannesburg, from 24–28 November 2025, and marked SANPUD’s first-ever participation in this regional gathering. Representing SANPUD were Charne Roberts and Ruan Carsten, who used the space to strengthen alliances with LGBTQI‑led movements and position harm reduction within broader queer rights and health agendas.

The conference highlighted urgent themes including shrinking funding landscapes, the need for cross‑movement advocacy, legal gender recognition as a gateway to safer health access, evidence‑based human rights documentation, and the power of intentional storytelling in shifting harmful narratives. SANPUD also engaged in high‑level discussions on equitable funding and Global South leadership, while networking opened promising pathways for collaboration with the Rustin Fund, Visual AIDS, and the Other Foundation. Overall, the conference underscored the importance of integrating harm reduction into LGBTQI spaces and ensuring queer people who use drugs are visible and protected in regional advocacy.

]]><![CDATA[WHEN SURVIVAL BECOMES ADVOCACY]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:44:57 GMThttps://www.sanpud.org/news/when-survival-becomes-advocacyCharne Roberts’ journey from survival to national advocacy is a powerful reminder that lived experience can drive real change—read how Love Alliance support helped her build FEMALIVE, document abuse, and shift services toward dignity and rights;

Dive into her story, evidence and practical lessons for funders, advocates and communities.

Watch the story here.

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