project
8 March 2007
The South African Police Service (SAPS) National Commissioner, Commissioner
Jacky Selebi is inviting the media to the one of the most ground-breaking
initiatives ever undertaken by the South African Police Service and the launch
of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) on Wheels Project - a mobile VCT
Clinic in Taung, North West, on 9 March 2007.
The SAPS will be the first government department to launch a mobile VCT
Clinic. The VCT on Wheels will be designed specifically to make VCT services
accessible to police officials in rural areas. The South African Police Service
is constitutionally charged with the responsibility of providing safety and
security to all citizens of South Africa, and that guarantee could be at risk
if HIV/AIDS among police members was not adequately addressed.
It is envisaged that the HIV/AIDS pandemic will affect every workplace, with
prolonged staff illness, absenteeism and death. This will have an adverse
impact on, among others, productivity, employee benefits, occupational health
and safety and production costs.
Knowing one's status is important because if a police official tests
negative, he/she can take good care to avoid contracting HIV in the future.
However, if a police official tests positive, knowledge of the status allows
him/her to take better care of his/her life. If large numbers of police
officials started dying of HIV/AIDS, South Africa would be at risk, hence the
SAPS management continues to take proactive steps to curb the pandemic among
its members, particularly at rural areas where access to services are
remote.
Voluntary Counselling and Testing in the SAPS was first launched in 2003,
and the campaign was successfully rolled out to provinces and divisions. The
mobile VCT on Wheels is also expected to be rolled out to all the rural areas
across the country in the near future.
The national commissioner will deliver the keynote address at the
launch.
Date: 9 March 2007
Time: 09h00
Venue: Taung Mmabana Cultural Centre
For enquiries, contact:
Selby Bokaba
Tel: (012) 393 5648
Fax: (012) 393 5438
Cell: 082 778 0245
Issued by: South African Police Service
8 March 2007
