Cape town: To enhance the government’s efforts in combating tuberculosis (TB), Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, are set to lead the relaunch of the South African TB Caucus. The relaunch is set to take place in Parliament, on Tuesday, 28 October 2025.

According to South African Government News Agency, TB has been South Africa’s leading cause of death for several years and continues to pose a significant public health threat, claiming around 56,000 lives a year. South Africa falls in the top 30 high-burden TB countries globally, and in the country, an estimated 54% of people with TB are coinfected with HIV.

‘While TB is a curable and preventable disease, only a quarter of those infected are successfully treated each year,’ the advisory read. The caucus is part of the Global TB Caucus – a unique, non-partisan global network that mobilises parliamentarians to foster an enabling environment for access to TB services, research and development, disease awareness, and resource mobilisation among stakeholders.

The department said it provides a vital platform for Members of Parliament to drive political action towards ending the TB epidemic and ensures accountability for TB-related commitments. During the sixth administration, Parliament recognised TB as one of the country’s primary causes of morbidity and mortality. Both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces resolved to establish a South African Chapter of the Global TB Caucus – the relaunch is therefore a continuation of that work.

Coordinated by the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) as the in-country Secretariat, the relaunch is hosted in collaboration with the National Assembly, Department of Health and the TB Accountability Consortium. The relaunch precedes a National Assembly debate led by Health Minister Motsoaledi on ‘The Status of TB in South Africa’ scheduled for later in the day on Tuesday.