Address at the National dialogue on HIV and AIDS prevention and impact mitigation in the transport sector by Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe

Programme director Ngoako Bopape
The Director of the ILO Mr Ajakaye
SABCOHA CEO Mr Brad Mears
Government officials
Representatives of various HIV/Aids organisations
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen

Let me start by thanking and welcoming all of you for setting aside some of your busy schedules in order to be part of the national policy dialogue on HIV and AIDS and impact mitigation in the transport sector. I also want to thank the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for particularly hosting and collaborating this very important national policy dialogue on HIV and AIDS.

Distinguished guests, this occasion clearly indicates that we have a huge challenge in our countries and economies particularly in the transport sector that we need to address. For any nation to have a prosperous economy and a healthy nation, it needs to take care and to implement strategies that safeguard all its citizens from challenges of chronic diseases such as HIV and AIDS.

I must say that the demand in transport services and infrastructure in the transport sector especially in the SADC region is fuelling various economic activities some of which are leading factors in causing and spreading HIV and AIDS.

A long history of population migration in Sub-Saharan Africa has characterised a pattern of social relationships and economic activities. An increased movement of people across borders at any given time means that there is a huge demand for transport facilities. Also the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have maintained significant trade in the region thus further promoting inter-country migration.

Ladies and gentlemen, most of the countries are landlocked and this situation has ensured that road and rail transportation is an invaluable means of transporting both people and goods for trading. In addition, air travel in the region has become of significant convenience for business and holidaymaking.

As the world becomes increasingly globalised, there are indications that populations will be more integrated than ever. South Africa is part of the bigger picture.

Most of you are aware that people in the Southern African Development Region (SADC) region have been coming to South Africa to work in the mines, the transport industry and various sectors of the economy for over a century. Some of these migrant workers settled in South Africa as they established families. Others returned to their countries of origin but not without establishing some form of social relationships with the local people.

This pattern of social relationships continues to exist and it has become less complex due to availability of transport and the well-developed road, rail and air travel networks. Within South Africa there have been huge population movements in the past 50 years or so. Most of the movements have been male dominated, as the transport and mining industries have favoured employment of men.

These men have been moving between their families and places of employment with much ease and efficiency. Because of the coastline, South Africa has added dimension to the transport industry; sailors from all over the world used South African ports for many years. Travelling has always been accommodative of new experiences, including diseases. This transport networking in the SADC region is a fertile ground for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Distinguished guests, owing to the mobility of its workforce, the transport sector is among sectors adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS scourge. It is recognized that mobility may lead to increased opportunities for sexual activity with new partners and thus put people at risk of HIV infection. Many of those working in the sector are mobile and spend time away from their partners and wives.

In fact, long-distance truck drivers, maritime, long-distance taxi drivers, rail and air workers spend the majority of their working life away from home. Research conducted in South Africa revealed that 71% of long distance truck drivers have spent 15 days or fewer in six months at home. The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) conducted a study on behalf of the South African Business Coalition Against Aids (SABCOH).

The study reveals that 46% of the transport companies surveyed reported that profitability has already been affected by HIV and AIDS and 40% of transport companies that respond to the questionnaire indicated that the virus has led to a loss of experience and crucial skills in their companies.

But as a committed and determined government, we cannot watch these negative developments gaining momentum than our interventions. We firmly believe that government; business, civil society, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), churches and the private sector can work together to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge.

HIV/AIDS is one of the main challenges facing South Africa today. It is estimated that of the 39.5 million people living with HIV world wide in 2006, more than 63% were from sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005 about 5.54 million people were estimated to be living with HIV in South Africa, with 18.8% of the adult population (15-49 years) and about 12% of the general population affected. Women are disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 55% of HIV positive people.

In 1992, the National AIDS Co-ordinating Committee of South Africa (NACOSA) was launched with a mandate to develop a national strategy on HIV/AIDS. The South African Cabinet endorsed this strategy in 1994. A review conducted in 1997, in line with the goals of the NACOSA plan indicated the weaknesses of the health sector's disease-specific approach to HIV/AIDS as a challenge.

Some of the recommendations of the plan were related to increased capacity building for implementing agencies, increased political commitment and improved involvement and strengthen integration. Much was done to implement the recommendations of the NACOSA plan review.

These led to the appointment of provincial AIDS co-ordinators, the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on AIDS, the launch of Partnerships against AIDS by the Deputy President in 1998, the development of the Department of Education HIV/AIDS policy for learners and educators. This also led to the development of other national policies including the syndromic management of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), the establishment of the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) in 1998, the establishment of SANAC and the national interdepartmental committee on HIV/AIDS.

The HIV/AIDS and STI Strategic and STI Strategic Plan for South Africa 2000-2005 gave rise to the establishment and expansion of key programmes such as health education, voluntary HIV counselling and testing (VCT), prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART). There has been significant growth in input to and uptake of these programmes over the period of the HIV.AIDS and STD strategic plan 2000-2005.Another important milestone was the approval by cabinet of the national operational plan for comprehensive HIV/AIDS management, treatment, care and support in November 2003. This programme provided access to ARV treatment for about 250 000 people; and as of February 2006, 204 health facilities were accredited to provide ARV treatment.

Ladies and gentlemen, I must also stress that the new national strategic plan on HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011, which flows from the HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI) strategic plan 2000- 2005, was launched in April 2005.

The plan aims to reduce the level of infection by 50% by 2011 and also commits to provide appropriate packages of treatment, care and support services to 80% of HIV positive people and their families by 2011 to reduce morbidity and mortality as well as other impacts of HIV/AIDS.

The private sector through SABCOHA has made significant progress in the area of HIV/AIDS workplace policy and programme development. The sector has taken wide-ranging responsibility for employees facilitating prevention of transmission, organising treatment, care and support and safeguarding legal and human rights. However more still needs to be done to practically and effectively implement HIV/AIDS programmes and policies.

In the transport sector, the road freight industry adopted a proactive approach in combating HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The trucking against AIDS focus is a joint venture between the Road Freight Association, the Trade Unions, and the National Bargaining Council for Road Freight Industry and the Department of Health. Currently trucking against AIDS has four mobile wellness centres and 12 'roadside' wellness centres at busy truck stops across the country providing primary health services including HIV/AIDS services.

The transport sector commits itself to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa through strengthening the application of HIV/AIDS workplace policies, programmes and outreach programmes. This is part of the overall goal of the strategic framework's main objectives.

The main objectives are to increase and improve knowledge attitudes, beliefs and practices of transport workers. To mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in workplaces through the development of HIV/AIDS policies programmes outreach initiatives. It also aims to increase the number of companies with HIV/AIDS workplace policies and programmes in the transport sector; and to improve the capacity of employers and employees associations to develop and manage HIV/AIDS programmes in the transport sector.

The framework will ensure the implementation of relevant policies, guidelines and legislation aimed at protecting employees in the transport sector from unfair labour practices and to ensure compliance with the code of good practice on key aspects of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. It will also mobilise and co-ordinate the resources to improve the sector's response to HIVAIDS in the transport sector.

Key priorities as adapted for the transport sector from the national strategic plan on HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011 include prevention and reducing the rate of new infection by 50% by 2011. The intention is to ensure that the majority of South Africans who are HIV negative remain HIV negative. The intervention will help reduce the vulnerability to HIV infection and the impacts of AIDS amongst transport workers. In addition there is need to accelerate and intensify programmes to empower women on human rights including women's rights and accelerate programmes to educate men on women's rights and human rights.

The strategy also aims to reduce sexual transmission of HIV, by developing behaviour change communication strategies for the prevention of sexual transmission of HIV, adapted to different transport sectors. It must guide on the increasing rollout of prevention programmes for key populations at high risk in the transport sector and increase rollout of workplace prevention programmes in the transport sector.

Minimising the risk of HIV transmission through blood and blood products and minimising the risk of HIV transmission from occupational exposure among transport sector workers through application of universal precaution is part to this strategy.

Distinguished guests, it is indisputable that a healthy workforce is lifeblood of any growing economy. Our second priority is treatment, care and support. With this strategy in place we aim to reduce HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality and take the necessary precautionary steps to deal with the socio-economic impact by providing appropriate packages of treatment, care and support to 80% of HIV positive transport workers and their families by 2011.

This will include increasing the coverage to voluntary counselling and testing and promoting regular HIV testing and enable people living with HIV to take proactive steps to lead healthy and productive lives. The strategy aims to implement research, monitoring and surveillance as an important policy and management tool to measure progress and evaluate effectiveness of the interventions in the transport sector. This will involve a monitoring and evaluation framework and a research policy on behaviour change.

Stigma and discrimination continue to present challenges in the management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. This priority area seeks to mainstream human and legal rights challenges in order to ensure conscious implementation of workplace programmes aimed at addressing these challenges. It is our commitment as government to request transport sector organizations to intensify their resources allocation and promote effective co-ordination of all programmes and interventions, including greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS.

They should be assisted to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the national response and also to empower youth to change behavioural patterns in fighting this scourge.

Distinguished guests, some of the key principles of the transport sector are the creation of a non-discriminatory work environment, development of gender sensitive programmes and placing mainstream HIV/AIDS activities into the core function of the organisation. Treatment, care and support should also guide the response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace and the creation of a safe and healthy working environment in order to prevent transmission of HIV.

Ladies and gentlemen, I must stress that in order for the transport sector HIV/AIDS strategic plan to succeed, there is a need to identify key areas that will drive our interventions forward. We need to note that there are complex relationships between the transport sector and certain key situations and conditions.

Some of these conditions or situations that are pertinent in ensuring the success of the strategic plan include: the demographic situation, the socio-economic situation; the psychological situation, the political situation the institutional situation and capacity building.

Distinguished guests, our economies can only prosper through commitments to ensure that our workers are taken care of. We are faced with huge social and economic challenges if we do not plan ahead of time for our workforce and various factors that enhance the continued services in various sectors. Through platforms such as this, concerted interventions are raised that require planning, budgeting and implementation.

I am looking forward to a very fruitful dialogue and a constructive engagement that would bring about nothing else but positive changes for all our people. Lets stop AIDS and keep our respective commitments and together as a team we can achieve a winnable battle.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Transport
20 November 2007