Gallery: Prisoners join the fight against abuse
By Poloko Tau
A sea of orange uniforms seemed to come alive with loud cheers. The hands of jubilant inmates moved rhythmically to the music.
Inmate Xolani "Kwasa" Mzimela bravely stepped up to the stage and grabbed the microphone, the cue for thunderous applause.
The cheering died down as Mzimela, 33, disclosed his HIV status The cheering died down as Mzimela, 33, disclosed his HIV status to his fellow convicts.
Mzimela and other convicts gathered yesterday at the Joburg Correctional Centre's Medium B sports ground for their World Aids Day concert and the launch of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children.
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Struggling to hold back tears and in a trembling voice, Mzimela tells fellow inmates and guests of the "good time" he had outside and how a "condom used to be my worst enemy". This ultimately led to his present status.
"I have it (HIV) but I don't know where I got it or how I got infected. I used to be with the hottest girls and had a good time but now I have come to realise that this thing (HIV) is a real killer," he said,
With a Michael Jackson song playing in the background, Mzimela later joined in the lighting of a big white candle with an Aids ribbon etched on the side.
'Your future can only be bright if you quit drugs' Soapie actress Sophie Ndaba had earlier told inmates that women and children were there to be loved by men.
"I'm standing here as a woman to say 'we love you'. We're not here to judge you, but want you to love us and treat women and children well," she said.
"Once you are out of this place we want to feel safe and protected in your presence. We want to look up to you for love and protection and not fear you. I want you to imagine the pain and suffering of rape victims and think of what most of you would want to be like once you leave this place."
Ndaba and other celebrities, including hip-hop artist Khuli Chana, interacted with inmates.
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