The Tshwane Metro Council has pledged its support for the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Speaking at an event to mark World Aids Day at the Saulsville Arena in Atteridgeville on Wednesday, executive mayor Kgosientso Ramok-gopa said the council had pledged to support all programmes that might help to create awareness about the HIV stigma and saying no to all forms of discrimination against people living with HIV/Aids.
Wednesday’s event was organised by the council in partnership with the Central Western Region Youth Lekgotla.
It was aimed at mobilising residents, especially the youth, to get tested for HIV and other health related ailments and to build on work done so far.
“The City of Tshwane has unanimously endorsed a declaration of commitment (to fighting) HIV/Aids by establishing and supporting the Tshwane Aids Council.
“Whatever initiatives that may be introduced or explored, we believe that the most powerful weapon against the stigma and the silence are the voices of the people in our communities, speaking out about Aids,” he said.
Ramokgopa said this year’s theme “challenges us to ensure that all people, with or without HIV, infected or affected by HIV, realise their human rights and live in dignity.
“On this World Aids Day, let us resolve to replace stigma with support; fear with hope; and silence with solidarity,” he said.
Ramokgopa said there was another terrible burden imposed by Aids, “which each and every one of us has the capacity to relieve; the HIV-related stigma”.
“Some people with Aids are being denied their basic rights such as food or shelter, and dismissed from jobs they are perfectly fit to perform.
“They may be shunned by their community, or most tragic of all, by their own family.
“The fear of stigma leads to silence, and when it comes to fighting Aids, silence is death.
“It suppresses public discussion about Aids, and deters people from finding out whether they are infected.
“It can cause people – whether a mother breast-feeding her child or a sexual partner reluctant to disclose their HIV status – to risk transmitting HIV rather than attract suspicion that they might be infected.”