The Mayor of Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Councillor Maripe Mangena hosted a Candle Light Memorial event at the Valoyi Tribal Hall at Nwamitwa last week.
The aim of the event was to commemorate the lives of the people who lost their lives from HIV/AIDS and those that are living with the virus.
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The majority of the attendees were learners from different high schools in the Nwamitwa area.
Thembelihle Nyathi from the Department of Health encouraged the learners together with everyone who attended the event to make wise decisions with regards to sexual health.
“Abstain from sex, if you are unable to abstain then be faithful to your partner or condomise. Remember that contraceptives without condomising does not prevent sexual transmitted diseases,” Nyathi said.
Things started hitting home when courageous and smart Kedibone Machete, the ambassador of the event, told her story.
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Machete found out she was HIV positive when she was 20 years old while she was still a virgin and almost lost her life from the virus, but she fought back until she was healthy again.
She urged the congregants to test and know their status even those that are not sexually active because there are various ways of being infected.
“I disagree with the saying that ‘what you don’t know won’t kill you’, because it can she said. You have HIV but you are not HIV and don’t be scared to tell your partner if u have it,” she added.
Machete received a standing ovation from the crowd for her bravery.
The Love Life team cordinated a dialogue between young people and parents and from the young people it turned out they have pressure to date older men because they buy them expensive things which their parents can’t afford to buy them.
Maripe was the keynote speaker and told the young people to stay away from blessers and to continue with their studies.
Some of the guests who graced the event included local councillors, Hosi N’wamitwa the second, representatives from the Department of Education, Anova and parents of the learners.
The memorial was concluded by a candle-lighting session which was led by the mayor and Machete.
