In conversation with,Dr Zakithi Mkhize (blackgirlscientist) Qualified Scientist, content creator and Youtuber with a PhD in Medicine from UKZN, majoring in Virology. She is active on social media where she goes by the name @blackgirlscientist - she advocates for education and empowers young people. A groundbreaking HIV cure trial conducted in Durban, South Africa, has demonstrated promising results in achieving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free virus control. The trial shows that 20% of participants remain off ART and are virally suppressed after one-and-a-half years. The results of the study were presented at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), in San Francisco, USA in March.