S Moloto: World AIDS Day

1 December 2006

Programme director
Executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality
Hosi Majeje
Mayor of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality
MEC for Health and Social Development
MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture
Health officials and workers
Representatives of non-government organisation (NGOs) and Hospices
Positive living Ambassadors of People Living with HIV and AIDS
Traditional leaders
Traditional healers
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Theme: Stop HIV and AIDS. Keep the promise

We meet here today in Lulekani, Phalaborwa on World AIDS day to rededicate
and to recommit ourselves once again to the battle we have started, eight years
ago; when we launched the partnership against one of the most brutal genocides
the world has ever seen.

As our former President Nelson Mandela normally says:

"HIV and AIDS is the biggest threat facing humanity, it is a disease that
has killed more people in its entire history than all the people killed during
the first and second world wars."

It is said for example that approximately 25 million people have already
been killed by the virus since it was first discovered in 1981. This therefore
confirms the truth that HIV and AIDS is there and has no cure, yet it is one of
the many preventable diseases. HIV and AIDS is a disease that requires one to
take individual responsibility at all times. It is also characterised by fear,
stigmatisation and discrimination of those infected and affected.

Researchers regard Sub-Saharan Africa as one of the most affected regions in
the world with almost 24,5 million cases of people living with the virus as in
2005.

In the main, we know that it is poverty, social inequalities and generally
poor socio-economic conditions that account to a larger degree in the
increasing vulnerabilities of many people towards preventable diseases such as
malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. As we commemorate the 16 Days of Activism for
No Violence and Abuse Against Women and Children, let us bear in mind that the
emancipation of women is also critical in the reduction of the epidemic in our
society, and unless we end the gender-based violence and abuse, we must forget
about overcoming our struggle against HIV and AIDS.

Other structural reasons for higher prevalence rating in the Sub-Saharan
region are said to been attributable to the breakdown of the family structure,
gender inequality, moral degeneration, Apartheid migrant labour system, poor
human settlement conditions like informal settlements and negative cross-border
human mobility patterns in regions.

Though statistics show that the epidemic may be levelling off in South
Africa considering the overall slight decrease in the rate of infections since
1998, we still remain one of the highly affected countries in the region and
the world with almost five million South Africans living with the disease.

The prevalence rate in Limpopo remains one the lowest in the country, though
it is picking up every year from 19,3% in 2005 to 21,5% this year. This is an
indication that we must still work harder to reduce cases of infections
especially amongst our youth who seems to be more at risk. The fact that we are
the third lowest province in the country in-terms of HIV prevalence must not
give us a false sense of security since we still remain vulnerable. Generally,
the rate of prevalence seems to be on the increase in all our districts with
the exception of Vhembe which has seen some slight decrease. However, the
highest rate of prevalence in Limpopo is in Mopani District, which explains why
this event is taking place here today.

All of this evidence tells us that we must never rest on our laurels as the
epidemic is still on the increase and we must take care of ourselves so that we
do not get infected and infect members of our families.

Programme director

As we meet today on World Aids day, let us take special cognisance of the
need to reflect on what each one of us is doing or can do to fight and
eliminate the disease. We know that there are enormous challenges from all
fronts, inasmuch as there are also windows of opportunities which must be
recognised and harnessed in order for us to strengthen our fight against the
pandemic.

Government on its part continues to do all it can within available means and
resources to challenge and fight the disease. This year particularly marks the
8th anniversary of the partnership against HIV and AIDS which was first
launched in 1998 by the then Deputy President Thabo Mbeki. This partnership
encourages a multi-disciplinary approach in the fight against HIV and AIDS and
is inclusive of organs of civil society as partners. This is because we have
recognised that the fight against the scourge cannot be fought and won without
the support and participation of labour, business, people living with HIV and
AIDS, faith based organisations, traditional healers and civil society organs
at large.

As a country, we have since taken bold steps to ensure that government's
comprehensive plan for management, care and treatment of HIV and AIDS is
inclusive of:

* counselling and social support services
* nutritional supplementation
* treatment of opportunistic infections
* antiretroviral (ARV) therapy.

You may be aware that in 2004 our province started providing antiretroviral
drugs in eight sites. To date we are proud that we have 35 hospital sites that
are accredited to provide treatment to those whose CD4 count is below 200. We
are further prioritising the provision of nutritional supplements for patients
attending our wellness clinics and those on treatment. There are home-based
care and support services for those who are terminally ill, and in addition we
have taken steps to ensure that there is continuous provision of the Prevention
of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCT) and voluntary counselling of pregnant
women.

In addition to all these measures, it is still important for one to take to
heart the prevention messages of abstinence, being faithful to one's own
partner, condomising, and behavioural change and living a healthy lifestyle for
those already infected. Prevention is our first line of defence as all of us
have the ability to individually prevent infections by sticking to the ABC
message of Abstaining, Being faithful and Condomising.

But beyond this message, it is also important that we encourage each other
to change risky behaviours that create conditions for contracting HIV. Those
who have multiple-partners or frequently change partners need to stop their
behaviours as they could be faced with the real danger of contracting the
disease and infecting their loved ones.

We also need to encourage each other to undergo voluntary counselling and
testing (VCT) even when we know that we are not sick. It is common knowledge
that people are afraid to undergo tests due to the stigma attached to the
disease, which discourages people from undergoing tests. However, it is not
advisable to test only when one is sick, as it might be too late to be treated
for opportunistic infections.

Programme director

While researchers and scientists continue to do their best to find a cure
for the disease, we once again wish to urge our people to exercise greater care
of themselves as individuals.

Some of your might have heard of the results of a study conducted in Gauteng
which attests that safe circumcision can offer at least 60% protection of males
from infection. Although further studies are still being carried out in Kenya
and Uganda to confirm these, it is still too early for us to conclude that
males who are circumcised can be immune from contracting the disease. Though
this gives us hope for possible future reduction in infection rate, it is still
important that we await the conclusions of these findings before we mislead our
people and jump into conclusions that circumcised men can have unsafe sex
without protection and not contract the virus.

Programme director

Let us break the silence and start talking openly about HIV and AIDS and the
impact it has on our society. As part of living positively, those of us who are
infected with HIV and AIDS must be confident to tell others about their
experiences and not live in denial. This will help to dispel the myths and to
discourage discrimination in our communities and in the broader society. We
need more positive living ambassadors as models to de-stigmatise the
disease.

The vicious cycle of HIV and AIDS will not be broken unless there is a
radical change in our attitudes, in our sexual behaviour and in our respect for
other people, including our women and children.

As a nation we have little choice but to work together in a collaborative
manner in order to defeat this scourge that is destroying life and
disintegrating our families. We have said in the past, and we are reiterating
that our government is still committed to work in partnership with every
organisation that is determined to contribute towards reducing infections and
providing care and support to those affected and infected with the
pandemic.

Acting together as a nation and as individuals, in the true spirit of
Khomanani, we can keep the promise by stopping HIV and AIDS from continuing to
destroy our future.

God Bless!

I thank you

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
1 December 2006