Hlabisa District in South Africa Where 31.6% of Pregnant Women Test HIV Positive

A Zulu woman carries groceries back to her village in the Hlabisa District of KwaZulu-Natal, after walking more than 7km. The composition emphasizes distance and landscape, with the long journey home reinforcing themes of isolation and daily resilience.
Her act of carrying groceries becomes symbolic, suggesting the invisible labour borne by women within rural economies and health crises.

The photograph reflected the escalating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly among women in KwaZulu-Natal. The statistical shift from 13% to over 40% underscores a deepening crisis that consequently transforms the image into both document and warning. Mendel avoids direct depiction of illness, instead invoking its presence through context, environment and the body’s quiet perseverance. The work reveals how systemic inequality, gendered labour and public health intersect by embedding personal journeys within a broader narrative of social vulnerability.

Sources:

Mendel, G. (ed.) (2004a) HIV : A Broken Landscape , Gideon Mendel. Available at: https://gideonmendel.com/a-bro... (Accessed: 30 April 2026).