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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes President Zuma's pledge to award antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to all HIV/Aids infants under the age of one and all pregnant HIV positive women. The DA recognizes that the era of HIV/Aids denialism is over. But while we acknowledge that much has been done to combat HIV/Aids under Presidents Nelson Mandela and Kgalema Motlanthe, we find it odd that President Zuma recognizes the ‘various strategies' that President Mbeki is alleged to have implemented on the disease. We know that President Mbeki's government denied the link between HIV and Aids and that Zuma did not voice any opinion contrary to the government's views during his tenure as deputy president. Jacob Zuma was appointed deputy president of South Africa in June 1999 and was therefore the second most powerful politician in South Africa for most of the period of Mbeki's rule. Along with the deputy presidency came chairmanship of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC), a post he held until the scandal over his statements on women and the transmission of HIV during his rape trial. Certainly Zuma has a vested interest in suggesting the Mbeki era was pro-active in its fight against HIV/Aids. That interest however, does not hold up against the available evidence. There are serious challenges remaining and we hope the government will now go beyond the words it's issued today and meet them with actions. South Africa has 5.5 million HIV-positive people - the highest number in the world - and 59,000 babies are born infected with the virus each year. We need confirmation from the government that it will address problems associated with access to treatment on the ground. As early as two months ago, for example, there were still reports claiming that there are shortages of ARV drugs in the Free State. The DA has highlighted this issue repeatedly this year. The DA will in the New Year ask questions on how these HIV/Aids prevention strategies will be rolled out and how they will be sustained.