President Jacob Zuma and his cabinet will publically lead government’s new HIV testing campaign.

They will be taking public HIV tests as part of the new implementation plan approved by cabinet on Wednesday.

First in line is President Jacob Zuma, his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe and ministers.

Furthermore every clinic and healthcare centre will be required to offer voluntary HIV tests to South Africans who enter the institutions instead of relaying on people asking for them first.

Government hopes the new campaign will halve the rate of infection by 2011 and ensure 80 percent of those who require treatment are provided with life-saving drugs.

Government is hoping to test 15 million people during the same period.

The HIV/Aids Implementation Plan will officially launch on 15 April in Gauteng.

(Edited by Danya Philander)