A Systemic Inquiry into the AIDS Epidemic in the Western Cape of South Africa through Interactive Management

South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Approximately 6.2 million South Africans are living with HIV/AIDS. The AIDS epidemic has impacted on its economy and plagued its vibrancy. The government of South Africa has invested significant resources to fight AIDS. However, the number of AIDS-related deaths in South Africa is the second highest in the world. Different from the common approaches used to study the AIDS problem, this paper demonstrates how Interactive Management (IM), a methodology echoing systemic thinking, can be employed to identify the drivers leading to the AIDS epidemic in the Western Cape of South Africa. The preliminary exploration is not aimed at discovering a theory, but enhancing learning and consensus among stakeholders. Through a full-day IM session, the study identified two major drivers leading to the AIDS epidemic: poverty and lack of knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The identified drivers can serve as a starting point to revisit the current governmental strategies in fighting AIDS.