Pretoria – The Gauteng Aids Council on Thursday expressed concern at the sexual behaviour of young people, especially those that are at tertiary institutions.
Addressing the media in Pretoria, after the council met in Pretoria on Thursday, Gauteng MEC for Health Qedani Mahlangu said the behaviour of young people was a cause for concern.
“The conduct and behaviour of young people exposes them to danger. We will continue to work with the universities to try and address the problem,” she said.
According to MEC Mahlangu, there is a need to continue to empower and educate people about the dangers of contracting sexual diseases.
She said a recent study indicated that young people continue to have sex with people much older than them. “Older men with money continue to lure young people into having sex with them and this makes them … engage in risky sexual behaviour.”
In a bid to deal with the scourge of HIV and Aids, the MEC said the province has set itself a target to get one million people tested.
“We are taking bold steps to deal with the tragedy,” MEC Mahlangu said.
The council’s Deputy Chairperson Reverend Gift Moerane said the message to be sent to young people is to abstain.
“We want young people to focus on their studies,” he said.
Tshwane Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa expressed concern about places where commercial sex is being practised in the city.
According to Mayor Ramokgopa, the practice of commercial sex is increasing in the townships.
“There is a need to penetrate those places with education, teaching people about the dangers of practicing unsafe sex,” he said.
He said since those places are known, the city is going to enforce the by-laws.
There was a concern that those that are practicing commercial sex are getting younger and younger. – SAnews.gov.za
