Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - December 2, 2007
Charles Molele

"Aids, as Madiba has said, is a human rights issue and should be treated as such in order to avoid this genocide that is affecting millions and millions of people around the world," she said at a private fundraiser luncheon in Midrand, Gauteng on Friday.

Lennox, a long-time supporter of the Nelson Mandela Foundation's 46664 initiative, said the government's views on the supposed toxicity of Aids medication were "absolute nonsense".

"It is unacceptable that treatment has not been made available to those who need it most."

To back up her criticism of the South African government's policies and slow response to the Aids pandemic, Lennox screened a five-minute documentary she and a friend had shot in the Eastern Cape.

The short film told the story of Avumile, an orphaned seven-year-old girl who has Aids.

The child was at death's door, but a few months after she started taking anti-retroviral medication, she gained weight, recovered from pneumonia and could play with her friends.

"Drugs can save lives," Lennox, 53, said as guests fought back tears.

But there was also some levity at the star-studded function.

Naomi Campbell, the bitchy British supermodel, arrived in style.

She was wearing a magnificent Gavin Rajah red dress, incorporating Indian and Zulu motifs.

Campbell, who is rumoured to be dating F1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton, wore El Dante shoes from Spain.

Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, wife of billionaire Patrice Motsepe, bought the dress on auction for R120 000.

"We know what Aids is doing to our people here, throughout the continent and elsewhere," said Motsepe-Moloi, who is Leisureworx chairman and patron of South African fashion,

"It is for a very good cause."

Campbell's shoes were snapped up by the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton for R50 000.

The foundation plans to sell them again, at a later stage.

Last night's 46664 concert was held in Johannesburg to raise global Aids awareness on World Aids Day.

But there was drama behind the scenes when, hours before the concert, members of the Soweto Gospel Choir threatened to boycott the event.

They were peeved that, apparently. other local and international stars were being paid a fee to perform, while they were expected to sing for free.

The boycott threats came after they had met poet and bank robber Mzwakhe Mbuli.

But, it was averted at the last- minute by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which promised to compensate artists.

The foundation announced on Friday that next year's 46664 concert will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The concert was particularly poignant for South Africa, which has one of the world's highest rates of Aids infection and an estimated 5.4- million HIV-positive people.

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