Programme Director
Executive Mayor of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality
Executive Mayor of Ngaka Modiri Molema
Mayor of Mamusa Local Municipality
Mayor of Mafikeng Local Municipality
Mayor of Greater Taung Local Municipality
Representatives from Soul City
Acting Head of Department
Departmental Senior Management
Councilors present here
Officials
Members of the media
Ladies and Gentlemen
Dumelang bagaetsho!
Let me start of this address by quoting the words of the renowned stalwart and a freedom fighter, Ntate Nelson Mandela, in a closing address at the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain in 2002.
He said and I quote: “AIDS today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines and floods and the ravages of such deadly diseases as malaria ... We must act now for the sake of the world."(Close quote).
These words are still appropriate to this very day despite our relentless efforts as government, business, parastatals and society in general to continuously educate our people about the dangers posed by the HIV/Aids pandemic.
This pandemic continues to claim more lives than wars, famines and floods combined. It kills more than deadly diseases like malaria and cancer.
Jaaka re itse rotlhe, bolwetse jo, ke tlhoba boroko mo pusong, mo malapeng, kwa ditirong le gongwe le gongwe. Puso le mekgatlho e e farologaneng e tsaya matsapa go fatlhosa bagarona ka masetlapelo ao a tlholwang ke ditlamorago tsa bolwetse jo.
Re kopane fano gompieno go thankgolola gape semmuso letsholo le le bidiwang One Love campaign – le le samaganeng le go tsibosa bagarona ka kotsi ya go nna le baka-pelo ba ba fetang bongwe ka nako e le nngwe.
Mabaka a go nna le baka-pelo ba le bantsi ka nako e le nngwe ga a utlwale gotlhelele:
- Bangwe, go akaretsa basadi kgotsa basetsana le basimane ba nna le baka-pelo ba le bantsi go ba itumedisa fela.
- Bangwe ba dira jalo go godisa kemo ya bona setshabeng
- Bangwe ba dira jalo ka bopelo-tshetlha go fitlhelela dikhumo tsa baka-pelo ba bangwe.Kotsi ya teng ke gore ga o kitla o itse gore monna kgotsa mosadi gongwe lekgarebe kgotsa lekau le o dulang le lona le amega mo mafaratlhatlheng a baka-pelo ba o sa ba itseng.
- Go re thusa ka eng re le setshaba go tswelela go latlhegelwa ke bana ba rona ka bonyana ka ntlha ya go nna le baka-pelo ba bantsi?
- Go re thusa ka eng go latlhegelwa ke batsadi e le fela ka ntlha ya botlhokwa kitso kgotsa go ikgatholosa tshedimosetso ya bolwetse jo bo kotsi jo?
- Go re thusa ka eng go itemogela palo e e golang ka bonako ya dikhutsana e le ka ntlha ya bo tlhoka boitshwaro ga batsadi?
Re a tlhologanya gore bangwe ba amega jalo ba sa itse ebile ba sena molato. I am responsible. We are responsible. South Africa is taking responsibility. Ke nako bagaetsho ya gore re itlhokomele bogolo segolo fa seemo sa botshelo se ntse jaana. According to Human Sciences Research Council, it was estimated that 63,000 children in South Africa were infected with HIV in 2011, reflecting poor prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
The study further reveals that HIV/AIDS is more prevalent among female adults under the age of 40 in nearly all age groups. Roughly 4 in every 5 people with HIV/AIDS aged 20–24 are women, and only one third of people with HIV/AIDS aged 25–29 are men. Although prevalence is higher among women in general, only 1 in every 6 HIV/AIDS infected people with multiple sex partners are women.
We have, as government, by words and deeds, demonstrated our passion to reduce further infections by conducting campaigns, roadshows and workshops on HIV/Aids prevention.
Pele ga letsatsi le, re ntse re boloditse letsholo la go buisana le baagi ka kotsi ya go nna le baka-pelo ba fetang bobedi. Ra ipowa kgatsu go tsena ntlo-le-ntlo go ruta bagarona gape ka bosetlhogo jwa go nna le baka-pelo ba bantsi.
Tla re itlhokomeleng bagaetsho, re tlhokomele le malapa a rona. As I conclude let me take this time to thank Soul City Institute for their continued partnership with the department. This partnership, I believe will go a long way in reducing the high rate of HIV/Aids pandemic in the province and in the country at large.
I also want to thank the Master Trainers for availing themselves to undergo meticulous training rendered by Soul City Institute. Hope you will employ the skills you have acquired to save many lives in various communities from today until we reduce infections by sharing vital information necessary to enlighten our communities on Multi-Concurrent sex partners.
We will work hand in hand with you, including municipalities, business and the media to spread the message.
Our voices will collectively echo across the rains until our message is heard by all young and old.
Nko ya kgomo mogala tshwara thata e se re gongwe o utlwa sebodu wa kgaoga!
Bodiba jo bo jeleng ngwana wa ga mmago, e re o bo bona o bo kakologe!
Ke a leboga.
