Nkosi Johnson honoured
Child Aids activist Nkosi Johnson has been honoured by the University of Stellenbosch, where a new residence has been named after him.
The Nkosi Johnson House is the latest of three new student residences at the university’s Medical and Health Sciences campus in Tygerberg. The residence holds the title of “greenest residence in Africa”, owing to its energy- and watersaving features that earned it an Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (Edge) certification.
According to the university’s rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers, an institution’s culture is expressed in the names of its buildings. “By naming this residence Nkosi Johnson House, we are taking another step towards visual redress on our campuses, and we are acknowledging the important role played by the late Nkosi Johnson as a critical voice in the struggle for social justice in the fight against HIV/Aids in South Africa,” De Villiers said.

A ceremony was held this week to unveil the name.
Gail Johnson, who fostered Nkosi for nearly 10 years, said Nkosi made a powerful impact on the public perceptions of HIV until his death in 2001 at the age of 12. At the time, he was the longest-surviving child born with HIV. “It is fantastic that the university is naming a building after Nkosi. He has never received any award in South Africa, and it is the first time that he is being recognised here,” Johnson said.
Dean of the faculty of medicine and health sciences Professor Jimmy Volmink said the naming was part of a larger, ongoing initiative to make the Tygerberg campus a place every student and staff member could call “home.” In 2014, a participatory process led to the first senior residence on campus being named “Huis Ubuntu House”. “We again followed this inclusive process for naming our new senior residence, and were very pleased with the submissions received from students.
“It is an honour to have this residence named after an icon like Nkosi Johnson,” said Volmink.
Medical student Regan Fancensie proposed the name for the new residence and said it was a small step in recognising those who had been affected by HIV. “I’m humbled that my suggestion has been chosen, and ecstatic that Nkosi Johnson’s name will live on at Stellenbosch University. This is a small step in recognising those who have been affected by HIV. I hope Nkosi Johnson House will remind us of their struggle and motivate us to work towards a health system, and also a society, free of stigma, prejudice, and inequality,” said Fancensie.

Nkosi Johnson House provides accommodation to 200 senior students.
The construction of Nkosi Johnson House required 45% less building materials and much less water than conventional methods, and produced only 0.25% waste, compared to 25% waste generated by standard construction. Solar panels are used to generate electricity for lighting and heating the building, and an extensive grey water system captures water from showers, which are then treated and used for irrigation.

Photo © Cape Times
https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/cape-times/20180523/281539406619187

23 Mayo 2018
Cape Times, Cape Town