Gert mayor commits to fighting HIV/Aids
The only way that HIV could be reduced is that young people in our communities should focus on their future.
Gert Sibande District Executive Mayor, Cllr Mishack Nhlabathi has taken a full responsibility to lead an awareness campaign against HIV/Aids in Mkhondo Local Municipality over the weekend of September 21, 2013.
The campaign is one of many to come across the district in aiming to spread out the key message to the entire people of Gert Sibande. It is part of the municipal strategic plan and educational efforts and prevention programmes to prevent the spread of HIV in townships.
Mpumalanga province is the second highest HIV-Aids prevalence, after KwaZulu-Natal’s 37.4%. The coal-mining hub of Gert Sibande is leading all districts in the country with the HIV/AIDS prevalence of 46.1% and the district’s prevalence has increased by 7.9% according 2011 statistics.
Despite these large-scale failures, Mother of the Nation, Nompumelelo maNtuli Zuma has called on the youth of Mkhondo (Piet Retief) to stay away from sexual activities to avoid teenage pregnancy and being infected with this virus. She said: “If you have already started, practice safe sex and make use of condoms, the benefits could outweigh the negatives.”
She said it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children are not involved in alcohol as alcohol and drug abuse could lead to sexual activities.
Nhlabathi added that the only way that HIV could be reduced is that young people in our communities should focus on their future.
Gospel musicians like Sipho Makhabane, Shongwe and Khuphuka, Thobekile, and others have become actively engaged in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in communities.
