Budget 2026: Godongwana allocates billions to HIV/Aids programme after Trump’s withdrawal

The HIV/Aids programme in South Africa will receive financial support following funding withdrawal by the United States. This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during his budget speech on Wednesday in Cape Town. He said the programme has been allocated R26 billion.

This comes as the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Bridge Plan comes to an end in March. The R26 billion is expected to be shared among provinces. “R26 billion is allocated to provinces to bolster our HIV/Aids programme, such as the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and the provision of anti-retrovirals (ARVs),” said Godongwana.

“As part of the targeted and responsible savings initiative, provinces will repurpose some of their funding to meet obligations towards PEPFAR. This follows the funding withdrawal by the United States.” The funds, which are also expected to cover the provision of ARVs, come as theARV tender is under scrutiny. US President Donald Trump withdrew funding in January 2025, after taking office.

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South Africa has received more than R8 billion to fight HIV/ Aids through PEPFAR since its inception in 2003. The withdrawal of US support put many into panic mode,calling on the South African governmentto find ways to close the gap left by the withdrawal. Treasury’s Budget Review document revealed that over the medium term, R410 million will be reprioritised from the Department of Health to the South African Medical Research Council to offset research grant funding withdrawn by the United States. “This allocation forms part of a co-funding arrangement with global donors to sustain key HIV/Aids research programmes,” reads the document.

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