KZN Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has condemned men who inflict violence on women and children, as well as ‘Blessers’ and ‘Sugar Daddies’ who prey on vulnerable young girls, exploit them sexually, and end up infecting them with HIV.
Premier Dube-Ncube made this statement at the Vanjazi Sports Ground in Dannhauser on December 1, in commemoration of World AIDS Day.
According to a statement issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government, the Premier, who was joined by several members of the Executive Council, also led the symbolic candle lighting ceremony during the commemoration of World AIDS Day, which is held to remember all those who died as a result of the AIDS pandemic.
“We encourage young boys and girls to postpone their sexual debuts in order to focus on their studies, so that they can determine their own future, be captains of their own ship, and masters of their own destiny. The youth are our country’s future leaders, so we need a healthy generation of young people to lead us forward,” Premier Dube-Ncube said.
Since December 1, 1988, the world has observed World AIDS Day to draw attention to the pandemic and to demonstrate solidarity in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
This year marks 41 years since the world learned of the first reported case of AIDS in the United States of America on June 5, 1981.
Premier Dube-Ncube praised the government for its efforts to improve access to life-saving anti-retroviral therapy, which has increased people’s life expectancy and avoided the AIDS-related mass burials that were once common in South Africa.
The Premier urged young people to abstain from sex, while urging those who had begun to engage in sexual relations to use protection in the form of male and female condoms as well as the various Government-free family planning methods.
“We must continue to fight false beliefs and myths about AIDS. The provincial government has made reducing HIV-related stigma a top priority in order to improve the quality of life for all people living with HIV. We urge the people of KwaZulu-Natal to get tested and know their status so that if they have HIV, they can start treatment right away and avoid spreading the virus,” said Premier Dube-Ncube.
The theme for World Aids Day in 2022, according to the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, is ‘Equality and’Integration to End AIDS’.
This theme is a call to the global community to act quickly to address the inequalities that fuel the AIDS pandemic by implementing practical, proven effective measures such as the following:
- By increasing the availability, quality, and suitability of HIV treatment, testing, and prevention services, so that everyone is well-served.
- Reforming laws, policies, and practices to address the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV, as well as key and marginalized populations, so that everyone is treated with respect and welcome.
- Ensuring technology sharing among communities and between the Global South and North to ensure equal access to the best HIV science.
“Communities will be able to use and adapt the ‘Equalise’ message to highlight inequalities in their communities and advocate for the actions required to address them,” she concluded.
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