L Jacobus: Launch of antiretroviral site and marking of World AIDS
Day

28 November 2006

Honourable Minister for Correctional Services, Mr Ngconde Balfour,
Councillor Manentsa on behalf of the Executive Mayor,
Regional Commissioner, Jolingana,
Members of the department,

Good morning to you all. We are gathered here today to commemorate World
AIDS Day which coincides with the government led campaign of 16 Days of
Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children. This campaign was initiated
by the United Nations (UN) 18 years ago, to draw public attention to the plight
of abused women all over the world. When our government decided to embrace the
campaign and add it onto our national calendar we added children to its scope,
as many of our children face abuse especially at home.

The age of 18 years is synonymous with coming of age, the rite of passage
into adulthood where a person becomes legally responsible and accountable for
their lives and actions. Therefore, it is appropriate that the theme this year
is "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise, Accountability." With events marking this day
across the world perhaps we need to stop for a few moments and consider what
the term accountability actually means, specifically in terms of HIV and
AIDS.

In order to be accountable, one must be aware of the challenges ahead, for
it becomes difficult to account if the extent of this epidemic is not
known.

A recent UN report on the global trends of HIV and AIDS infection rates,
does not give a bright picture of the spread of HIV and AIDS globally. South
Africa in particular is facing a number of challenges in managing this scourge
in our society. The Department of Correctional Services, if seen as a microcosm
of society, inevitably shares similar challenges in managing HIV and AIDS
amongst members and offenders.

Amongst these challenges is the fact that the extent of HIV infection among
members and offenders is currently not known as these are not notifiable
diseases. This, therefore, leads us to speculate that the percentage of HIV
infections in correctional centres is much higher than in the general
public.

The stigma attached to those living with HIV and AIDS can be harsh and
violent or deathly quiet. As a department we endeavour to encourage all those
infected and affected within our care to know and declare their status. It is
only through breaking the silence that we can begin to deal with the stigma and
discrimination associated with this disease.

In our efforts to quantify the extent of the epidemic amongst members and
offenders, we have recently launched the HIV and syphilis prevalence survey
among members and inmates. In order for us to respond appropriately to the
particular challenges which the treatment of this disease presents, we are
obliged to make every effort to get as accurate a picture as possible of the
extent of the problem. With more accurate information from the survey we will
be better placed to implement the Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Management
Plan.

On 30 November 2005 the department signed a pledge in which it committed
itself to the following:

1. create a caring and enabling environment that is free of stigmatisation
and discrimination of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS

2. implement the approved departmental comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme,
which includes prevention, care, support and treatment

3. strengthen the existing partnerships and build new stakeholder
partnerships at local, provincial, national and international levels to enhance
the department's ability to halt the spread and mitigate the effects of HIV and
AIDS

4. ensure compliance with government legislation and policies in the
implementation of HIV and AIDS programmes with effective monitoring and
evaluation tools for continuous identification and addressing of gaps

5. Last and mostly significantly we will continue with our efforts to
accredit more centres to provide ARV therapy. As you know we have three sites
in KwaZulu-Natal, one in Free State and this morning we launch the most
recently accredited site, St Albans here in the Eastern Cape. During the course
of 2007/08 we are working towards accrediting sites in the regions of Northern
Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Western Cape and Gauteng.

Nationally, as of 31 October we have 1 105 on ARV treatment and over a 1 000
on the pre-treatment programme. For some here, these figures may seem
relatively low when compared with our total offender population. However, I
want to emphasise that testing for HIV is done on a purely voluntary basis. We
as the Department of Correctional Services, therefore, cannot force anyone to
take an HIV test against their will. Many inmates choose not to get tested and
there is little we can do apart from persuading them that appropriate treatment
can be sought if we and they know their status.

One of our challenges is that nurses, psychologists, social workers,
pharmacists and doctors with the department do not enjoy parity in
remunerations with other similar professionals within the public service. The
implication is that we struggle to recruit and retain these professionals. We
might have to look at a range of incentives to attract these professionals to
the department.

In as much as we are doing all we can to provide access to ARV treatment
this is only one aspect of the fight against HIV and AIDS. Our comprehensive
plan stresses the importance of prevention, treatment, care and support. During
the treatment phase nutrition plays a critical role in supporting ARV
treatment. In our programme nutrition is not an alternative to treatment but is
an integral part, which is why offenders are placed on a special diet at this
time.

As government we would like to emphasise the importance of advocating for a
holistic approach that must include prevention, good nutrition, treatment,
care, healthy and responsible lifestyles.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to end this morning on the same note
which I began. On 25 November the annual campaign of the 16 Days of Activism of
No Violence Against Women and Children kicked off in the Limpopo Province. This
is a government led campaign which involves more and more South Africans from
civil society organisations, faith-based organisations (FBOs) and
community-based organisations (CBOs). Each year more and more South Africans
heed the call to intensify the national movement against women and child abuse.
Like with the fight against HIV and AIDS we must continue building this
partnership across all of South African society and this includes correctional
services.

Let us use the 16 days to re-commit ourselves and persuade others to give
practical support throughout the year to the call to not commit acts of abuse
against women and children. Increased risky behaviour, like alcohol and drug
abuse, especially over the upcoming festive season also increases violent
behaviour towards women and children. Alcohol and drugs also increases risky
sexual behaviour which makes women and girls more vulnerable to contracting HIV
and other sexually transmitted infections (STI).

We must therefore combine our efforts to ensure the implementation of the
365 days national action plan against gender and child directed violence.

Let this second decade of freedom indeed also herald in the 'age of hope'
for the broad Department of Correctional Services family, (our inmates,
ex-offenders, their families), all our partners and especially the women and
children in our care.

Let us as correctional services, be an example of new beginnings for all
South Africans; that truly cares and creates a better life for all!

Issued by: Department Correctional Services
28 November 2006