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Address at an HIV/AIDS awareness rally
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Speeches and Media Releases
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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

ADDRESS BY DR BM GOQWANA

AT AN HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN RALLY

HELD AT FLAGSTAFF

ON 14 JANUARY 2000



Iinkosi ezikhoyo apha namhlannje
 Abazali
 Ulutsha
Abantwana besikolo
 Abasebenzi
 Nalo lonke usapho luka Faku.

Ndithi kuni molweni kulonyaka umtsha. Masimbulele uMdali wethu ngokuba ethe wasikhusela kwinhyikithya yokufa ezindleleni kude kube silapha 
namhlanje. Abanye bethu abakhange babenalo elithuba. Ndiziva ndinovuyo olukhulu ukuba lapha namhlanje. Eyona nto indonwabisileyo kukuba 
ndize kwenye indawo ethe yenza imbali kwidabi lethu lenkululeko. Amagorha namagorakazi athi awela apha ngawo ibeyinxaxheba yabo edale ukuba 
kubekho lorhulumente kaKhongolose abe namhlanje uze kuthetha nani.

Orhulumente ababekhona ngaphambili bebenganikhathalelanga. Into ebebeyijongile kukuba nikhupha ntoni epokothweni ukuze nilungelwe. Abanye 
bethu ingakumbi iititshala ezindala kusithiwa maikhuphe ii R5.00 kuba owayethatha umhlala phantsi wayefuna amabhaso. Eyona nto 
ibikhwankqisa kukuba aba Bantu bekufunwa ezimali kubo bebengezelwa nto. Xa ujonge apha phesheya kweNciba ufumanisa ukuba akukhange kubekho 
nkqubela phambili. Ukwanda kwezigulo ebantwini apha kwelicala bubungqina bokuba impilo yabantu akhange ikhathalelwe. Ukuba bekunjalo 
ngeingekho apha namhlanje.

Urhulumente orholwa nguKhongolose, ka-Mandela, ka-Mbeki, ka-Chris Hani, ka-Oliver Tambo, wamagorha athi awa apha, namhlanje uthi makubekho 
inguqu. Uthi abona Bantu babalulekileyo ngabantu abahlala ezilalini, abantu abangenamlomo, abantu abahluphekileyo, abantu abashiywe bodwa 
bengenamntu wokubahoya. Umongameli wethu uThabo Mbeki uthe xa evula ipalamente kunyaka odlulileyo wathi makunikwe ingqwalasela kubantu 
abahluphekileyo ingaku ezilalini. Yilonto ke namhlanje ndisithi kuni ndinovuyo ukuba ndibelapha.

Mphathi theko mandidlulele koyena mbadela owenze ukuba sibelapha namhlanje. Ke xa ndizokuthetha ngalomba ndifuna ukuqale ndithi – ndiswele 
imilomo eliwaka yokubulela kusapho lwaka Mmbo ngokuthi kwakwehla isehlo esinje bangafihli iintloko okwenciniba kodwa babone ukuba 
mabaxelele balumkise isizwe sonke ngesi sifo. Mandiyithethe inyani yokuba kokokuqala ezimbalini zoMzantsi Afrika uphela ukuba luthi usapho 
lakushiywa yintandane yalo libize sonke isizwe. Nenze enye imbali kwidabi lokulwa nesi sifo.

Lombono ndiwubonayo namhlanje undinika ithemba lokuba apha ekuhlaleni basekhona abantu abazimiseleyo ukulwela isizwe sabo basikhusele kwesi 
sifo senza inhyikithya yokufa.

Esi sifo ugawulayo abathi xa besihlonipha "amagama amane" sisona sifo sinobuzaza kwizwe lonke. Esi sifo asikhethi ngokobuhlanga, okanye 
ubudala, ubuni nokuzibandakanya neqela lopolitiko njalo njalo.

The plague of the HIV/AIDS cannot be overemphasized or overstated. HIV is the most deadly virus we have had to deal with in this country. 
It is not only our problem but a disaster awaiting mankind the world over. In the middle ages millions of people in Europe were wiped from 
the face of the earth by a disease called the Black Death. The magnitude of HIV/AIDS is already headed for such proportions and should soon 
surpass such a disaster.

Seriously and deadly this disease, if we join hands and coordinate our activities without being emotional and dramatic in our approach to 
this crisis, we stand a better chance.

It is very important that we commit ourselves in an intelligent way as adults and responsible members of society in a coordinated and swift 
manner in order to overcome this disease.

In the past we faced a very trying or terrible situation such as apartheid but through our united resolve we fought against terrible odds 
and won. My message to you is that AIDS will affect every aspect of our society in places where we live, ours schools, churches and even 
our homes. The reality with this disease is that AIDS is right in our homes affecting and killing our brothers, sisters, fathers and 
mothers and even grandparents and so on.

The time we live in is very difficult, we have to offer support to each other like never before because the pain of finding out about the 
disease is like nothing ever experienced before. This is made more difficult by the fact that having this virus or diseases inevitably 
leads to death.

Some of us still think of AIDS or AIDS patient as a responsibility for the health department or hospitals. We do what we can but the 
reality is that people with AIDS are our people and as society we all have a role to play in protecting them and securing their well-being.

Statistics

Recorded statistics show an increase from 15.9% to 17.9% at provincial level.

Age groups

Less than 20 yrs =       15.10%

20 - 24 years =  19.80%

25 - 29 years =  19.70%

30 - 34 years =  11.80%

35 - 39 years =  8.30%

Region

Region A =       21.90% (PE Metropole)

Region B =       13.00% (Queenstown)

Region C =       15.80% (Mdantsane)

Region D =       16.00% (Umtata)

Region E =       21.50% (Umzimkhulu and Bizana) *

Condom usage=    5%
According to the latest studies 35% of all HIV positive patients will develop full blown AIDS within five years time. Mathematically this 
means that in the Eastern Cape alone we will have approximately 131 250 patients suffering from AIDS. On average such patients are likely 
to spend between 30 to 60 days in hospital. With a costly rate of R400 per day per patient in our hospitals, this number of AIDS patients 
will cost the taxpayer anything up to R525 million per year. This is without the consideration of the inflation rate. The truth of the 
matter is that we will find it very difficult to afford that health services will simply collapse under the pressures.

The Impact of HIV/AIDS

The most affected age group is between 18 and 33 years. When considering this, the following come to mind -:

- reduction in the life expectancy.
 - a possibility of a generation gap.
 - the impact this will have on human resources.
 - the amount of resources that will be used to sustain life.

Given this scenario as most people get infected it will surely have an impact on sustainable economic growth. The most contributing factors 
will be -:

* the hours lost in workplace due to increasing number of sick leaves.
* a increasing expenditure on health services thereby putting a lot of pressure on the limited budget.
* the high premiums to be paid by this age group on insurance policies as companies will try to cover for the risks.
* the resources which will be used to care for the affected i.e. orphans, destitute, etc.
Strategies to combat the virus

The government is working hard to facilitate research for a cure but at the moment there is NO CURE. Medicines like AZT are not for curing 
but for prevention of transmission of this virus. Some people suffering from AIDS may have to be referred home to recover. The importance 
of all of us taking care of our sick cannot be overemphasized. Home based care when co-ordinated properly, is just as effective if not 
better in some cases than the hospitals.

In view of this the Eastern Cape Government has instituted Provincial Aids Council to be headed by the Premier whose main function is to 
coordinate HIV/AIDS activities and to advise the cabinet on all matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS. The Council will be a multi-sectoral, 
comprising of trade unions, religious community, NGO’s, business community, traditional leaders, etc.

Apart from the council the government is already providing service to both the infected and affected through -:

* Provision of non-pharmacological therapy in the form of distigmatisation, provision of counselling services, encouraging nutrition 
programmes and physical exercise, encouraging home-based care, etc.
* Provision of pharmacological therapy in the form of treatment of opportunistic infections e.g. TB, Pneumonia, etc. the government is also 
researching on other drugs, which are acclaimed to reduce the transmission of the virus from mother to child.
It should be noted that the availability of a drug does not mean that the problem has been solved. There are certain misconceptions that 
have to be cleared.

There is no drug that can cure HIV/AIDS at this moment. This means that the fight against the virus is far from over.

The provision of drugs should be measured against the ability of the state coffers to absorb the costs. We are talking of job creation, 
housing, security and other social programmes, which demand a lot of financial injection.

The message I have for you today is that we Listen, Learn and Live.

Listen to children and young people, hear their views and concerns, and understand what is important in their lives.

Learn from one another about respect, participation, support, and ways to prevent HIV infection.

Live in a world where the rights of children and young people are protected and where those living with HIV/AIDS are cared for and do not 
suffer from discrimination.

MC I want to make a challenge to the youth. I am asking them to go for a voluntary testing. The early detection of the infection is going 
to help to prevent further spread of the disease. This will also help in trying to combat the opportunistic diseases that might arise as a 
result of infection. I sincerely believe that the benefits might far exceed the trauma of being diagnosed with the disease. It is therefore 
up to all of us to ensure that we combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in our communities.

Xa ndiqukumbela mhlali ngaphambili ndifuna ukukhe ndicaphule kwela culo laseWesile "

Imfazwe imfazwe ilizwe lifile
 umkhosi wotshaba usefikile ufika nekratshi nomlilo &#133;&#133;.

Xhobani makroti niphathe nekhaka &#133;.
 Hlabani ngamandla noyise utshaba .&#133;

Nditsho nam namhlanje ndithi utshaba lufikile masixhobeni. Ikhaka lethu zii condoms. Mayihambe levangeli. Yiyani kuzo zonke iindawo 
nisasaze ilizwi nibaxelela ngotshaba.

Ndisatshaya.



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