Durban – EThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda called for more co-operation in the fight against HIV/Aids and appealed for ideas put forward to combat the scourge to be put into action.
Kaunda was addressing the eThekwini District Aids Council.
He called for communities, civil society organisations, government and the private sector to work together to reverse the scourge of HIV/Aids.
“It is time to put ideas into action,” he said.
Kaunda said this could be done by implementing interventions that will have an impactful change in the lives of people affected by HIV/Aids and stop the spread of the virus.
“Our programmes must address the socio-economic challenges faced by some people receiving treatment. The creation of employment opportunities is critical in our efforts to address social ills, unemployment and diseases.”
Tabling its report, eThekwini Municipality highlighted the preventive programmes the city was implementing in the fight against HIV/Aids, including the promotion of the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), distribution of condoms, voluntary male circumcision, and TB prevention.
Kaunda encouraged men to know their HIV status in order to start treatment early.
The mayor also called on the judiciary, Departments of Social Development and Health, and other relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure that violence against women and children was rooted out in communities.
“We must discourage the practice of families negotiating with perpetrators of these crimes to reach a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’. People who commit statutory rape are committing a crime and they should face the full might of the law,” said Kaunda.