2% of cases, numbering 113, were classified as unspecified in 2011. These are mainly HIV / AIDS issues and involve clients facing challenges as a direct result of their status, such as discrimination at home or at work, and the need for medication or information.

Fisani Njokwe, Jan 2008: Legal Advice on HIV and AIDS

An unmarried male aged 45, who lives with his girlfriend and their child at KwaDeda, came to our centre to report that he is HIV-positive and that the doctor gave him pills (not ARVs) that cause him to sweat day and night. He was angry and wanted to know whether he could sue the doctor for giving him what he believed was the wrong prescription.

I advised him that his anger must come last, his life must come first. I explained that the cause of the sweating could be that his body could not fight this disease any more. I advised that he must go to the clinic at once so that they can start giving him ARVs. I also advised him to take his girlfriend with him to the clinic. He thanked me for the advice and left.

Thabisile Miya, Jan 2008: HIV and Discrimination at Home

A 20 year-old client came with a 3 year old child and told us that both she and her child are HIV-positive. She is staying with her mother and stepfather. She is unemployed and so is the father of her child. She is not on anti-retrovirals because she has no identity document.

Her mother is abusing her by insulting her about the disease. Her mother does this in front of other people telling her that she is going to die with her child. This has been happening for a long time and she cannot take it anymore.

I advised the client to go to the clinic with the child as the condition of the child is bad. I also made a telephone call to the clinic so that they can help her with food parcels and with anti-retroviral treatment. I made a home visit to conduct mediation with the family and they gave the client’s clinic card back to her. During the home visit I noticed that the child’s condition was very bad and so I telephoned for an ambulance to take the child to hospital. The child was taken to Centacow hospital.