MBOMBELA – Members of the Civil Society came out in their numbers on Friday in a march that was held from Nissan Garage to the taxi rank in the CBD.
Mpumalanga News learned that the aim of the march was to encourage people to use condoms when they engaged in sexual activities.
The chairperson of the Civil Society, Rev Gordon Mthembu said they decided to hold this march in Women’s Month because they realised that some women were vulnerable when it came to standing their ground and being bold enough to tell their partners to use condoms during sexual intercourse.
Mthembu disclosed that the province has the second highest incidence in the country with respect to HIV infections. He added that this would be a thing of the past only if people can get tested, use protection and continue to give moral support to those who are already positive.
“We need to unite and do away with stigmatising infected and affected people in our communities. Let’s cease this tendency of discriminating against our brothers and sisters who are living with the virus. I believe that in order for us to win this battle, we must get tested and know our status. Those who are already infected, must take their treatment in the prescribed way,” he explained.
Mthembu emphasised that people should not stop taking their treatment unless they were instructed to do so by their doctors.
The march was attended by traditional leaders, sex workers and traditional healers.
