Dr Thandi Mtsi
There's no way of telling how long a person with HIV/Aids has to live - and you can take steps to live a longer and more fruitful life. Firstly, there's a lot you can do to survive for a long time without your HIV virus fully blowing into Aids. It's important you maintain a healthy and positive lifestyle, and avoid re-infections that may increase your viral load. (E.g. using a condom every time you have sex). You should go for regular check-ups to monitor your CD4 count and viral load. If your CD4 count is 250 or less, you'll be advised to start anti-retroviral therapy.

Omphile Sebithloane
You need to realize you can have a long life despite your status, and you need to live life to the full, plan and dream like a normal person. Start by being open with your boyfriend about your status; if he does leave you, it may be that the relationship wasn't meant to work out. Although your fear of losing him is understandable, hanging on to a relationship based on a falsehood is unwise. It will cause you to live under constant stress, as you'll need to tell more lies to cover up the real reason you don't want to give yourself completely to your partner. By holding back you're also denying yourself a chance to live a happy and fulfilled life.

Mangaka Modiakgotla
There's nothing stopping you from acquiring your own property, or buying property together. However, if you do tie the knot with your man, you'll need to pay attention to the type of matrimonial regime you intent to enter into - for example, getting a pre-nuptial contract. Even though you don't have any children, I advise you to draw up a will stating who the beneficiary of your estate should be in the event of your death.

Mathilda Phooko
Keeping your status a secret is the greatest mistake you can make, as this man won't ever trust you again once he finds out (and he has to find out eventually). If he truly loves you, he'll continue with the relationship- even though it might be difficult for him. The best option is to ask him to go with you for an HIV test before any sexual encounter; every person has the right to know their partner's status. He'll respect you for having protected him from getting infected by you - and that's a sign of true love, commitment and responsibility. Remember, being HIV-positive isn't a death sentence. For more advice and support, call the National AIDS hotline on 0800-012-322