TB HIV Care (THC) has launched a new 12-month professional development programme to place, with the financial backing of corporate South Africa, newly qualified accounting graduates within the company’s finance teams. Placed graduates will gain real-world experience managing large-scale local and international grants that support life-saving health services across the country. Graduate unemployment in South Africa has risen sharply over the past decade and a half. In 2008, just 5.8% of graduates were unemployed. By 2023, that figure had more than doubled to 11.8%. The situation is even more severe among young graduates aged 20–29, a group that reflects those newly entering the labour market, where nearly one in three (30.3%) were unemployed in 2023(1).
“This is a strategic investment in South Africa’s future,” said Dr. Memory Muturiki, Chairperson of the TB HIV Care Board. “We invite corporate South Africa to help us builds careers, strengthen institutions, and contribute to better health outcomes”, Muturiki stated.
South Africa produces highly skilled accounting graduates each year, yet many struggle to find meaningful roles that translate their academic training into practical experience. At the same time, the public health sector manages billions of rands in international funding and faces a shortage of finance professionals with expertise in global health compliance, reporting, and governance. This programme aims to close that gap. With a national footprint across all provinces, TB HIV Care reaches more than two million people annually through evidence-based health programmes. The organisation partners with leading international funders, including government and multilateral agencies, creating a unique training environment for emerging finance professionals.
“South Africa needs financial leaders who understand both technical excellence and the realities of managing large-scale public health funding,” said Prof. Harry Hausler, Chief Executive Officer of TB HIV Care. “This initiative gives young professionals world-class experience while strengthening the systems that deliver essential health services to millions of people”, Hausler stated.
Through the programme, graduates will gain exposure to:
- Management of multi-million-rand local and international grants.
- Cross-border funding agreements and multi-year programme budgets.
- Grant proposal development and donor reporting.
- Board-level governance, risk management, and audit processes.
Corporate sponsors will fund the 12-month placement of an accounting graduate, covering both salary and professional development costs. In return, sponsors will support critical skills development, help strengthen national health systems, and gain access to a pool of finance professionals with rare, globally relevant experience. This initiative also helps safeguard hard-won progress at a time when shifts in the funding landscape are placing gains in dignified care for underserved and vulnerable populations at risk.
“We are at a defining moment where a multi-sectoral approach is essential to preserve these gains and ensure continued access to quality, respectful care across the country”, Muturiki concluded.
The company further cemented its role as a vital partner in public health during the 2024/2025 reporting period, delivering significant impact across key HIV programmes. It provided HIV testing services to more than 1.15 million people, enabling early diagnosis and linkage to care. THC supported 321,492 people on life-saving antiretroviral therapy and achieved a 95% viral load suppression rate among those monitored, one of the strongest indicators of treatment success and reduced HIV transmission. To help prevent new infections, 47,286 people were initiated on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), with a strong focus on populations at heightened risk, including adolescent girls and young women.
As THC approaches nearly a century of service, the organisation continues to evolve its funding and delivery models and innovating to meet emerging public health needs. In a time of uncertainty, THC remains a cornerstone of South Africa’s public health response, proving that integrated, people-centred care can deliver impact at scale while safeguarding dignity and hope for future generations.
