COGTA Minister Zweli Mkhize delivers his World Aids Day message
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister Zweli Mkhize celebrated the World Aids Day today at Umzimkhulu in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) lower south coast where he urged the people of the province and leaders from all sectors to double their efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
The event, organised by the Harry Gwala District Municipality in partnership with the local Emvubukazi Methodist Church, was attended by the district’s municipal leadership and local church leaders.
The province of KZN has the highest prevelance of HIV infections in the country according to the research by the Human Sciences Research Council where almost a quarter of the province’s population is living with HIV.
In his speech today, Minister Mkhize said despite the country’s successful anti-retroviral programme in the world with 4.2 million people on treatment and a successful prevention programme of Mother-Child-Transmission of HIV, the war against HIV and AIDS still rages on relentlessly.
He said government was committed to addressing HIV and AIDS holistically by eliminating factors such as poverty, illiteracy and abuse in the society which aggravate the vulnerability of the people.
“ Presently, because of the sustained government, public; media; community; and various other campaigns, majority of the people know about the disease but this has not completely ebbed the tide of infection because of our varying levels of social vulnerability in the country,” said Minister Mkhize.
This year, South Africa celebrates the World AIDS Day with international community under the theme "Cheka Impilo. Know Your Status" while also emphacising the importance of the government’s ABC message which says Abstain, Be Faithful and Condomise to evade HIV infection.
The Umzimkhulu community joined the world in the celebration today with onsite HIV information, testing and counseling for the local community attending the event.
The minister urged everyone to get tested and know their HIV status to curb the spread of the virus and debunk the stigma attached to people living with the virus.
“ We should say NO to stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with HIV & TB and protect their human rights.”
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