Refugee emergency
We are grateful to the many people who helped with the humanitarian relief effort from 23 May to 2 June. Regrettably, the state is still failing to provide sufficient relief. We have therefore stepped up our relief efforts again. TAC continues to need donations for humanitarian relief and our advocacy efforts against xenophobia. Please donate to TAC or one of these organisations.
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The Generics - Jikilele
In 2003, TAC's choir produced an album called Jikelele. You can now download the album's songs from this web page. The album cover stated:
In South Africa HIV/AIDS has a crisis of truth-telling and good governance. At the highest levels of government the truth about HIV/AIDS and treatment to save the lives of millions is being denied. This is crippling treatment and prevention efforts. The songs in Jikelele reflect the abandonment of our people by the government and the AIDS profiteering of the pharmaceutical industry. The songs also speak of hope and personal responsibility. In addition, they mourn fallen comrades such as Simon Nkoli, Christopher Moraka, Nkosi Johnson, Queenie Qiza and many others.
Jikelele is a production of Treatment Action Campaign(TAC) volunteers in South Africa. Across our country, volunteers have been the backbone of TAC's efforts to get affordable quality treatment, including antiretrovirals, to people living with HIV/AIDS around the world. Our songs show that treatment literacy, HIV/AIDS education and advocacy take many forms. Social criticism is central to our songs.
Jikelele is an arrow directed to the hearts those in government and pharmaceutical demanding that they fulfil their constitutional and moral obligations to protect the right to life and dignity of all people.
TAC volunteers have spontaneously adapted the songs that united us in the struggle against apartheid to the new struggle against government neglect and corporate greed. The songs touch on all the main facts of the disease: People are dying. Medication is at hand. Globalise Treatment struggles.
TAC is inspired by efforts of oppressed people all over the world struggling for social justice and dignity.
Listen to the testimonies of refugees in Cape Town
27 May, 2008 - 17:18 — moderator1.32 MB
Recording by Bradley Bordiss
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The Generics - We Don't Care
23 April, 2008 - 13:34 — refaadm00:01:30 minutes (1.37 MB)
We don'd care even if they do not want to give us AZT because we will shrug off HIV
The Generics - Thula Mama / Consoling The Mothers
23 April, 2008 - 13:31 — refaadm00:02:37 minutes (2.41 MB)
Be consoled Mama,
Be colsoled mama,
don't cry mama,
We took him and brought him home.
He just cried, saying "it's AIDS"
Go well Comrades
You are the heroes.
You have fought strongly in the battle against AIDS.
We say these words to you Simon Nkoli, Gugu Dlamini, Sibusiso Mkhize, Christopher Morape.
Your spirit is right with us.
Be consoled Mama.
Be consoled Mama.
The Generics - Never Give Up
23 April, 2008 - 13:28 — refaadm00:03:51 minutes (3.53 MB)
Never Give Up!
Comrades!
Hold on!
The Generics - I Was Sitting
23 April, 2008 - 13:23 — refaadm00:03:43 minutes (3.41 MB)
Oh! I Was Sitting in the dark dying of Aids.
Zackie arrived, arrived MSF to set me free.
They set me free
I didn't know about this TAC.
Then Sipho arrived and taught me
I didn't know anything about the anti-retrovirals drugs until MSF came to educate me
They set me free
Oh! Come, come mother, come father, come sister, together with your big brother.
We are going to defeat HIV
Defeat it......HIV
The Generics - Ileta / The Letter
23 April, 2008 - 13:19 — refaadm00:03:35 minutes (3.59 MB)
I received a letter from TAC
It speaks nicely saying Biozole is now available
Oh Zackie Achmat we love you
Ola Zackie our buddy, son of Achmat.
We solute you brother, all of us here in South Africa.
You sacrificed your life going all the way to Thailand to import Biozole illegally.
You were defying the state.
You have shown that here in South Africa we can make it.
We can defeat HIV brother.
Now we salute you baba!
Keep up the good work.
Make it a point we don't suffer the way we suffering now.
Simply because we see the state doesn't care about us any longer.
The Generics - Ingaba Senzeni Na / What Did We Do?
23 April, 2008 - 13:12 — refaadm00:03:36 minutes (3.31 MB)
What did we do to you Thabo Mbeki.
We want AZT.
We want Biozole.
We want Nevirapine from you Thabo Mbeki, Thabo Mbeki, What is our debt?
What is out sin?
Is it Aids?
Thabo please, speak to Pfizer, Spek to Glaxo
Talk to BMS to reduce prices,
What did we do to you Thabo Mbeki
The Generics - Bonanje / Have A Look
23 April, 2008 - 13:07 — refaadm00:02:15 minutes (2.06 MB)
Have a look, Pfizer is making fun of us
Have a look, Mbeki is making fun of us
We are going to give them a minute to change their ways
Have a look, Manto has contempt for us
We are going to give them a minute to change their ways
The Generics - Abanomona / Those Who Are Jealous
23 April, 2008 - 13:04 — refaadm00:02:22 minutes (2.17 MB)
Those who would divide us,
Do not enter into TAC
.......Change Comrades
.......Change your step
The Generics - Uyabuza uTAC / TAC Is Asking
23 April, 2008 - 13:00 — refaadm00:01:47 minutes (1.65 MB)
TAC is asking when will the prices go down, Tshabalala doesn't want to......Helele Ma
Joing TAC......Helele Ma
Tshabalala doesn't want to,
Thabo Mbeki doesn't want to,
Pfizer doesn't want to
The Generics - Thula Sizwe / Consoling The Nation
23 April, 2008 - 12:53 — refaadm00:03:29 minutes (3.2 MB)
Be consoled, Nation.
Don't Cry our TAC is going to conquer for us.
Be consoled, Nation.
Don't Cry our TAC is going to conquer for us.
Be consoled, Nation.
Don't Cry our TAC is going to conquer for us.
In HIV/AIDS our TAC will conquer for us.
The Generics - Siyafa / We Are Dying
23 April, 2008 - 12:46 — refaadm00:02:40 minutes (2.45 MB)
Whoo hu hu hu whoo hu hu hu
We are dying, dying, dying, dying, dying with HIV
The Generics - Iyasigqiba / It's Killing Us
23 April, 2008 - 12:11 — moderator00:02:05 minutes (1.91 MB)
It's killing us......HIV
HIV is killing us
BMS we want D4T
BMS we want DTI
It is killing us
The Generics - Jikilele / Globally
23 April, 2008 - 12:05 — refaadm00:02:00 minutes (1.84 MB)
We know AZT Globally
AZT - we know it.
It is protecting children from HIV globally, globally
MTCT
Prevention
We know Nevirapine.
It is protecting children from HIV globally, globally
