Address by the Minister of Labour on the occasion of the World AIDS Day function of the Department of Labour held East London
Programme Director,
Director-General of the Department,
Leaders and the Department of Labour Staff,
Our distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Molweni, Sanibonani, Good Morning
The year 2015,’ marks the 27th Anniversary of the World AIDS Day since its world launch in 1988. 27 is a number that carries significance for South Africa in more ways than one. The first democratically elected President of South Africa, the late Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela was freed from prison after spending 27 years of incarceration for fighting for what was a just course.
27th of April 1994 marked the end of three hundred years of colonialism, segregation, white minority rule and the advent of the first democratic rule in South Africa. This year being the 27th Anniversary of the World AIDS Day to show support for people living with HIV and for those who have died, is significant. You will recall Ladies and Gentlemen that, despite the virus only been identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS making it one of the most destructive pandemics in the history of mankind.
In the spirit of ”number 27” and what this number means in our history and the journey of our own country, is it not possible to equally mark the 27th anniversary of the World AIDS Day with one or two ground-breaking innovations in the best way that the South Africans know how?
Is it not the time when we should renew our resolve to play a much more meaningful role in the fight against the scourge? Is it perhaps not the time for us to go an extra mile in our efforts?
I think we can make the 27 Anniversary of the World AIDS Day the beginning of something bold and courageous from every one of us. Let me ask another pertinent question and also provide an answer. Can we as the theme for this year suggests, RISE, ACT and PROTECT? I have no doubt through our actions, big or small, we can.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this day is important because it acts as a constant reminder that the virus is still very much with us, along with all the prejudices, discrimination, stigma and all the social ills that goes with it. Whilst this day presents an opportunity to raise awareness, education and fine-tune our responses, it is important that everyday should be “an AIDS day” in order not to lose the momentum.
A lot has been said about the statistics, progress that has been made to date, and the key challenges that lie ahead. All forms of media carried stories on the subject, and provided some food for thought on what needs to be done. Therefore I have no intention of repeating all the stuff that you may have already read and observed in these few days since the 1st of December, except to lift one or two points to ponder.
Please allow me, Programme Director, to share with you two stories that you may, or may not have already heard. If you have heard the stories, please bear with me. Let me preface the stories by illustrating, all-be-it very briefly, how much and how serious the trouble we are in, as a result of HIV and AIDS.
These are facts and not fiction my friends, or a ploy to scare anybody. According to the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Aid, there are 36.9 million known cases of people who are living with HIV, including 2.6 million children. About 2 million people were infected globally in just 2014 alone.
Over 35 million people have died from HIV or AIDS including 1.2 million who died in 2014 alone.
AIDS is the number one cause of death in Africa and second among young people globally. In Sub-Saharan Africa girls account for 7 in 10 in the new infections among those who are between 15 and 19 years of age. Only about 51% of people living with HIV know their status despite the availability of testing.
This story demonstrates clearly that whilst the global efforts are making some visible mark in dealing with the scourge, we are far from winning this battle. Our young people and girls in particular, are among the most vulnerable in this connection. It is frightening that only 51% of those living with the virus know their HIV status. Broadly speaking this means that more than half of us gathered here do not know our HIV status, that’s scary.
If 7 out 10 new infections are young girls between the ages of 15-19 then we are in big trouble and the future looks very bleak indeed.
We need to conduct a serious introspection of why, despite various initiatives that are being rolled out, but not achieving the desired impact on scale. Could it be the function of the prejudices, discrimination, stigma and other social ills that are the key drivers of poor results and impact?
If our young people are the future, what kind of future, if at all there will be any, given these harsh realities. Can we do something extra-ordinary to shape the future that we all want? Surely we can.
In the African tradition we bring up our children with the hope that when we get old and are not able to do things on our own, our children will look after us and when we die, they will bury us in the most befitting manner. These days, tables have turned it is the old people, the grannies and grand fathers who are left to look after orphaned grandchildren of our sons and daughters. Today it is mothers and fathers who bury their sons and daughters, dashing the hopes of being looked after in their twilight years.
In the grand scheme of things, young people subsidise the old economically. As the life expectancy of older people improves and that of younger people reduces as a result of the pandemic, we run the real risk of having undesirable imbalances in the population that could threaten our socio-economic foundations.
A society of senior citizens who may be too old to contribute meaningfully to economic development will be disastrous. The challenge of the predominantly aging population in Europe has seen the retirement age being extending in some countries in order to compensate for this challenge.
I am raising these observations merely to highlight the need to scale up our efforts as responsible and caring citizens whilst there is still time to do so. The second story is about a real experience at a Rural Clinic in UThungulu District in Kwa-Zulu Natal by Laurie of the Daily News.
It goes something like this; “When HIV-positive patients first came to seek treatment at this clinic, their files were kept in brown folders, the colour which was designated for the disease. In a country where the stigma runs high of carrying the virus that causes AIDS, and where many people keep their status a secret, the brown folder held by a nurse calling out patients in a crowded waiting room, was a major disincentive for those seeking help.
So HIV-people stopped going to uThungulu clinic in question for fear that they will be recognised by their neighbours that they carry the virus that causes AIDS. Instead they chose to travel to a clinic 50 kilometres away where they were less likely to be recognised. Needless to say that they soon ran out money to travel to fetch their treatment and as result some of them succumbed to the disease.
However, when the colour of the folders were changed from brown to yellow, the same colour used for all chronic medical conditions, more people came back to the clinic for help.
It is reported that since February no HIV patient receiving treatment at the uThungulu clinic had died. One key observation from this story is that the patients and the local community knew that files in brown folders were those of people who were HIV-positive. In a country where the stigma runs high of carrying the virus that causes AIDS, the stigma is possibly the first hurdle that must be tackled as it carries the real risk of undermining our efforts. It took a simple shift to change the attitude for better.
Routine and practices that may lend themselves into being interpreted as discriminatory or compromising for the people living with HIV will undermine our efforts. Even where there is no outright malicious intent, we may need to change our behaviour and be alert of what may be offensive in the eyes those we seek to support or help. Therefore it is not always big things that must change in order to make a difference.
Whilst this is generally the global landscape, the South African story is not that different.
Granted, there have been notable improvements on various fronts, but not significant enough for us to be complacent. For example; there is evidence that progress is being registered in responding to the dual epidemics of HIV and TB. HIV Incidence in the 15-49 age groups has decreased from 1.79% in 2008 to 1.4% in 2012 as per HSRC household survey. The number of people on treatment has steadily grown over the last 10 years. These improvements although small, cannot be ignored nor be exaggerated.
It is also important to recognise that our role as the Department extends beyond the department as a workplace, but covers all workplaces in South Africa. We are the custodian of national policies that seek to address the HIV and AIDS challenge in the world of work. This we do through various pieces of labour legislations and codes of good practices. Whilst these efforts are bearing good results all-be-it inconsistent at times, it is important to shift emphasis from quantitative to qualitative outcomes.
It is well and good to have good policies and thousands of activities, but what is more critical is achieving the desired outcomes. Are getting the desired outcomes? The answer is not on all fronts. You may well be aware that we have initiated a massive project to evaluate what works in the workplace and what is giving us the “bang for our bucks”, so to speak.
We have partnered with the Human Sciences Research Council and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) to conduct a study on what works in the world of work.
The study will comprehensively document knowledge about workplace initiatives, strategies, practices, interventions that work in real workplace settings. The study will also document comprehensive assessment of proven innovative, effective and efficient, HIV/AIDS workplace initiatives, strategies & practices that worked well in achieving good outcomes.
It will no doubt help us as a Regulator with fresh ideas on what needs to be done to enhance better outcomes. I am also advised that the department has been chosen as one of the workplaces that will participate in the study and I am very pleased about that. I do hope that our internal programmes will pass the test of being the leader in this space.
We should, as a workplace and most importantly, as the national custodian of the national policy, lead by example, are we? That question will be answered in the findings of the study I am sure.
I want to thank Professor Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya of the HSRC for her vision and foresight in making this much-needed joint initiative possible. Equally wish to thank the Director General for his support in this regard. To the German Development Cooperation, thank you very much indeed for making funding available for this project. The information and what we do with it, carry hope and a potential to save lives, thank you.
Coming closure home, it is remarkable that since the launch of the HIV Counselling and Testing intensification, we have played and continue to play our role as a Department in implementing on-site HIV Counselling and Testing services. To date about 45% of departmental staff tested for HIV and other health chronic conditions using the on-site services. Whilst this is good, I believe we can do better and breach the stubborn 50% mark.
Let us double our efforts, wherever we find ourselves, to intensify HIV counselling and testing and healthy life styles.
I challenge every one of you, myself included, to ensure that at least once a quarter, an on-site HIV counselling and testing at each Labour Centre, Provincial Office, Head Office, Funds and the Supported Employment Enterprises become a reality.
Director General and your leadership team, I challenge the Department to come out with fresh ideas on how to enhance the outcomes of our initiatives in the HIV and AIDS space. Where the Department of Labour’s Community Builders, or “These are our Heroes and Heroines” type projects?
Programme Director; This year is the 17th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign in South Africa.
It is important that the 16 Days Campaign is not viewed as a stand-alone event but another leg of the #356 Days Campaign and #CountMeIn, which aims to mobilise members of society, especially men to join hands with government against child and women abuse.
South Africans are encouraged to show their support for the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign by wearing the campaign ribbons during the 16-day period:
A white ribbon is a symbol of peace and symbolises the commitment of the wearer to never commit or condone violence against women and children. If South Africa has to win the fight against this scourge all members of society must stand up and make a difference, especially men and boys.
We need to Rise and understand our individual roles in reducing new HIV infections; we must Act and go beyond the call of duty and be positive agents for change. The fight to eliminate violence against women and children provide an excellent platform on which to locate the fight against HIV and AIDS.
In this war it does not matter whether your contribution is big or small, or somewhere in between, as long as it makes a positive impact. An HIV-free generation needs all of us to play our part at every opportunity that presents itself. The Rise, Act & Protect” theme should therefore inspire all us to spare no effort in working towards an HIV free generation. It starts with you and I raising our hands and saying, we can make a difference.
You may not be infected, but you are affected in one way or the other. Let us all stand up and be counted, not only on the gospel we preach, but on how we are the living examples of what we preach.
Let the World Aids Day be an everyday occurrence through our actions. Let us be the thought leaders on this front. President Nelson Mandela once said, and I quote, “Action Without Vision is only passing time; Vision without Action is merely day-dreaming; but Vision with Action can change the world” Close Quote. Do I need to say more? I don’t think so, Mandela captured what should be our war cry going forward perfectly.
Those going on holidays during this festive season, drive safely and enjoy; those who will be working during this period, keep the flag flying. Rise, Act and Protect!!! Thank you to the Eastern Cape Province for hosting us.
Merry festive season and a happy New Year,
God Bless South Africa and its people.
I thank you!
