Sandiso Phaliso
OVER the past year, the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) has circumcised 100 000 men as part of its HIV/Aids prevention strategy.
On Monday, the union strung up 100 000 pieces of cloth on a 2 000 metre rope, and released 2 000 balloons to celebrate the milestone.
The union has been and continues to take active steps in the fight against HIV/Aids by creating awareness, providing testing facilities, training and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment nationwide, said its general secretary Andre Kriel.
He revealed that one of the reasons for the campaign was that many of the union’s members were dying silently and afraid to speak about their HIV status.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics show that male circumcision reduces the risk of being infected with HIV by 60 percent.
“We emphasise that medical male circumcision does not prevent HIV/Aids, but plays a very useful role to reduce the risk of contracting HIV.
“Sactwu realises that the fight against HIV/Aids demands more than expressions of commemoration and salutations,” said Kriel.
In addition to the male circumcisions, the union has trained, created awareness and provided treatment among 116 686 employees, visited 1 481 factories, trained 344 shopstewards and tested 20 852 people.
Kriel said there were 1 251 HIV-positive Sactwu members who are on ARV treatment.
Sactwu Spring Queen Zubeida Beyers-Maggott said a lot of men were scared to be circumcised. “It is very important to know your HIV status.”
“The fight against HIV can only be won if people work together and strive for one common goal,” said Beyers-Maggott.
Joan Philander, 59, said although she was struggling to walk as she was living with a disability, she wanted to be at the event and help spread awareness.
“I want to show people who are able-bodied that if I can do (well) although I am disabled, so can they. HIV is our fight and we need to stand together if we want to win this fight,” said Philander.
Clarina Rass, 69, said young people needed to be educated about HIV/Aids.
“There are still many people infected with the disease who are hiding behind closed doors afraid of the stigma attached to the disease, and now we are saying to them, ‘Come out, we are all in this together’,” said Rass.
“We can make more awareness, and go to schools and churches and tell people of the consequences of unprotected, unsafe sex. We need to guide our young generation.”
@PhalisoSandiso