Johannesburg - The South African Council of Churches has started a programme to encourage people involved in polygamy relationships to remain faithful to their wives and not participate in other relationships.
Speaking to the Inter-Parliament Union (IPU) Advisory Group on HIV and AIDS during their visit in Gauteng on Saturday, South African Council of Churches ecumenical Secretary Reverend Gift Moerane said the organisation was concerned about the well being of people infected by HIV and AIDS.
"We want to prolong their life span and fight the increase of infection and encourage those who are negative to remain negative and those who are positive to get the support and care they need.
"We've started a programme on polygamy, where we encourage people practising polygamy to remain within the framework," Reverend Moerane said.
Reverend Moerane said the organisation has included in their programme, HIV and AIDS education programmes for people from other countries who live in South Africa because they also interact with local people.
"Eight million people receive information on HIV and AIDS though preaching, media and other means of communication and the message should encourage everyone to know their status," he said.
On the issue of condoms Reverend Moerane said while people use condoms, they fear that many assume condoms were only used if a person has multiple partners, which is not true, adding that condoms were now being made available during church seminars.
"Condoms can be used for family planning or protective measures and through education, people are now using them without any fear of being labelled," he said.
He said the organisation was also visiting taxi ranks, talking to taxi drivers and organising workshops in an attempt to send information on HIV and AIDS to people.
Reverend Moerane said the organisation was planning to host an interfaith seminar this year to reflect and find out what other religions are doing with regards to HIV and AIDS.
IPU member in Uganda Dr Elioda Tumwesigye said standing in front of the pulpit is good but the church leaders need to go beyond preaching.
"Preaching only, is not enough but the churches need to go beyond and focus on programmes to promote faithfulness and counsel couples in order to prevent the spread of HIV," Mr Tumwesigye.
The IPU advisory body is a small group of legislators who are leaders in their home parliaments on HIV and AIDS related issues.
The body also provides guidance to the 147 national parliaments that are members of the IPU on the implementation of international commitments on HIV and AIDS.
The advisory group also visited the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Council, where they were informed on their HIV and AIDS programmes, which was followed by a visit to Hector Peterson Museum in Soweto.
