Issued by: Office of the Deputy President
SABC TV
8 OCTOBER 1999
Fellow South Africans
The AIDS epidemic in our country has reached critical proportions. This disease reaches into every corner of our society and into every community. HIV and AIDS can and will affect every single one of us.
Over the past year many thousands, indeed millions, of South Africans have committed themselves to AIDS action. For some, these activities have involved simple acts such as wearing the red ribbon, talking more openly about the disease, and raising awareness amongst those around them. For others, it has involved developing strategies and developing programmes in the areas of prevention, care and support.
In doing so, they have become partners against AIDS. As partners, they have recognised their potential to make a contribution and to protect our way of life. But there are many challenges.
For many years a lack of openness around this disease has held us back. Yet, our attempts at openness, at fighting discrimination against those infected, and in recognising basic human rights, have sometimes gone horribly wrong. We cannot allow this to happen.
We have seen that preventing HIV infection needs more than lip service. It needs more than piecemeal approaches and once-off activities.
Furthermore, we know that this epidemic is changing. Many of those who are infected are becoming ill, and we need to provide them with care. We need to support their families and loved ones. We need to recognise that in the most difficult of circumstances, there is hope.
It is not difficult to understand that there is a dire need for action, but also that there are many opportunities for action. Each and every one of us has the power to act.
OUR ACTION COUNTS
Last year, on October 9, pledges were made on behalf of various sectors.
Some committed themselves to advocacy around human rights, to promoting non-discrimination, and to providing information to those infected.
Others pledged to focus on prevention of infection, and to providing care and compassion to those infected, whilst others pledged to speak openly about the disease and to be positive role models in the response to the epidemic.
Many of these pledges have been transformed into action:
In our schools, children and young adults have had greater access to life skills education, and we are seeing increased dialogue between young people, teachers and parents.
In our workplaces and our institutions of higher learning there has been increased focus on preventing infections through awareness programmes, through increased access to condoms and through providing treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.
Throughout our country many dedicated individuals and organisations have provided counselling, care and support to those infected.
In our communities, many families have opened their hearts and their homes to those directly affected, especially children orphaned by AIDS.
Within government we have intensified our actions. Many new laws have been introduced, whilst others have been amended to incorporate HIV/AIDS issues. Both provincial and national government departments have prioritised HIV/AIDS in their day-to-day activities, and government ministers and political leaders across the spectrum have focussed their attentions on this disease.
We have stood united in our efforts around this disease., and we have seen our partnerships begin to bear fruit. Now, more than ever, we must expand and intensify our efforts and recommit ourselves to sustained action.
We must continue to share resources and build new partnerships. We must state our goals simply and clearly, and work tirelessly towards achieving them.
We hold the future of this country in our hands, and we have the power to shape that future. We cannot falter.
OUR ACTION COUNTS.
I thank you.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853
Issued by the Office of the Deputy President, Jacob Zuma
The Presidency
Communication Unit
P/Bag X1000
Pretoria
0001
8 October 1999.