Though at first muted in his approach to the issues surrounding HIV/Aids, Nelson Mandela eventually became a dedicated and extremely effective advocate for a more vigorous approach to the disease.
When Mr Mandela was released from prison in February 1990, HIV/Aids had yet to make its full impact on South Africa.
Following his election as president four years later, Mr Mandela faced huge challenges and - like so many other world leaders at the time - failed to fully understand the depth of the problem and did little to help those with Aids.
At the time, the African National Congress (ANC) was gripped by an ongoing debate about both the causes of, and treatment for, Aids.
Some figures, like Thabo Mbeki, Mr Mandela's successor as president, openly questioned whether Aids was caused by HIV.
After Mr Mandela left office in 1999, he campaigned for more research into HIV/Aids, for education about safe sex and for better treatment for those affected. However, most South Africans still did not mention the disease in public.