Pretoria Court Hears Man Confessed to Deliberately Infecting Partner with HIV

A 47-year-old man from South Africa, facing an attempted murder charge for allegedly infecting his girlfriend with HIV, has been granted R2,000 bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) revealed that the accused reportedly hid his HIV-positive status from his 38-year-old partner throughout their relationship, which spanned from October 2025 to June 2026.

According to Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the NPA, the man had allegedly assured the complainant that he was HIV negative. However, on June 26, 2026, the woman made a discovery of antiretroviral (ARV) medication in his bag and confronted him about it. Mahanjana elaborated that during their relationship, the accused had "allegedly misrepresented his HIV status by informing the complainant that he was HIV negative."

Following the confrontation, the accused reportedly admitted his HIV-positive status and further confessed to intentionally infecting her. Mahanjana quoted the accused as stating, "The accused allegedly admitted that he was HIV positive and further stated that he had intentionally infected her because he did not want her to be in a relationship with another person."

The complainant subsequently underwent an HIV test at a medical facility on July 25, 2026, where she received a positive diagnosis. The very next day, July 26, 2026, she reported the incident to the police, leading to the man's arrest at their shared residence. During the bail hearing, the State did not oppose his release, citing that he posed no flight risk. Mahanjana confirmed that "The court found that it was in the interests of justice to release him on bail of R2 000." The case has been adjourned to August 27, 2026, to set a date for proceedings at a regional court. The accused continues to face the charge of attempted murder.