YCL condemns Hellen Zille's HIV/AIDS testing lottery
The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] condemns the campaign taken by the Premier of the Western Cape to conduct a lottery for people who test for HIV/AIDS in her province. Offering monetary incentives to people who take their test is immoral. Apparently those whose names get picked in the draw get to win R10 000 and a grand prize of R50 000.
As the YCL we urge Mrs Zille to desist from this disgusting campaign and focus on scientific proven methods to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS. This campaign in its nature and character only seeks to belittle those who want to know their status and will not in anyway benefit our people. Our people should only test because they have a desire to know their status and have a drive to turn their lives around.
It is reported that also the premier has been quoted to have said that people who are indulging in irresponsible sex should be arrested and charged with murder. Such statements are similar to those of the instigator of apartheid. As much as we want to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS threatening people with jail is not a suitable solution. Mrs is gasping at straws and lacking in the creativity department which explain these silly ideas and stupid utterances.
As the YCL we will continue to strive to build a nation that will be free of HIV/AIDS. We will concentrate our efforts in combating not only HIV/AIDS but also other diseases that serves as catalyst to the scourge of HIV/AIDS; diseases like Tuberculoses, Pneumonia and other related diseases.
We will continue as outlined in our World Aids Day message to ensure the following:
- Remain steadfast in our campaign of male circumcision as is one of the means to limit new infections.
- Make a plea to our government to speed up the process of establishing a state pharmaceutical company to deal with the supply of ARV's.
- Call on the Department of Health to ensure that pregnant mothers with HIV/AIDS take ARV's to stop ‘mother to child' transmission
- To teach the youth the benefits of leading a healthy and responsible lifestyles and this will be centred around ABC [Abstain, Be Faithful and Condomise]
To establish support for child headed households as a result of parents dying from HIV/AIDS.
We remain committed in playing a critical role in fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS and its impact on our communities and make an alert to people like Mrs Zille that HIV/AIDS is deadly and cannot be used to engage in silly lottery schemes.
Statement issued by Khaya Xaba, YCL Media Liaison Officer, December 4 2011
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