HIV, Aids communications strategy for youth on the cards

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Cape Town – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is a plan to develop a comprehensive communications strategy to address the prevalence HIV and Aids among young men and women.

Appearing before the National Assembly for the first time to respond to questions for oral reply, the Deputy President said the strategy would focus on, amongst other things, awareness campaigns on the scourge of HIV and Aids, Tuberculosis and intergenerational sex, especially as it affects young people.

He said the South African National Aids Council (SANAC) had noted the need to draft the communications strategy.

The Deputy President was responding to a question by a member of Parliament on whether SANAC had deliberated on the findings of a survey that revealed that the knowledge levels and awareness of HIV protection among key population groups like the youth have slowly been declining.

“SANAC has deliberated on the findings of the survey and in particluar noted the findings, one of which points to the delcining levels of knowledge.

“There is a need to develop what they regard as a fairly comprehensive behaviour changes communications strategy.

“As they do this, it is expected that they will be able to spread the message among young people and it is important to note that there is ongoing communication,” he said.

Work being done in mining towns

EFF leader Julius Malema asked the Deputy President a question on what has been done to help the families of the 34 mineworkers that died during a tragic mining strike in Marikana in August 2012.

He asked what had been done to heal the wounds of the families, and what interventions were implemented to address socio-economic challenges that the families and the community of Marikana faced.

The Deputy President said following the tragedy, government has put several interventions in motion to heal the wounds of Marikana.

He said President Jacob Zuma had set up a Commission of Inquiry to deal with the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

The Deputy President also said President Zuma had also established an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to look into revitalising mining towns.

He said the implementation of the Presidential package under this IMC was underway and it would focus on the construction of houses in mining towns.

“This is government in action. This is government at work in addressing these challenges and I believe that government will succeed in doing so,” he said.

Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete was later forced to evict EFF leader Julius Malema out of Parliament for un-Parliamentary remarks directed to the Deputy President regarding his recent testimony at the Marikana Commission of Inquiry. – SAnews.gov.za