South African Aids boy dies

Gail Johnson with Nkosi: he had become an icon for Aids campaigners

The 12-year-old boy whose plight dramatised the Aids epidemic in South Africa has died in his sleep at 0540 local time (0340 GMT).

Nkosi Johnson, who collapsed with Aids-related brain damage in December, had been praised by Nelson Mandela as an icon in the struggle against HIV/Aids.

Nkosi: "We are normal human beings"

A Johnson family spokesman said that Nkosi died after a desperate final battle against the disease.

Nkosi will be remembered for a speech he made at the World Aids Conference in Durban last July.

"You can't get Aids by hugging, kissing, holding hands. We are normal human beings, we can walk, we can talk," he told delegates.

Nkosi was born with HIV and was the longest surviving child born with the virus in the country.

His mother has since died of Aids, and he was adopted when he was two by a foster mother, Gail Johnson.

Speaking before his death Ms Johnson said: "We chatted about death... He had strong feelings about letting me down," she said.

"I told him I would miss him and no one could take his place."