Nelson Mandela Bay is gearing up to host this year’s World Aids Day event when The Deputy President and the Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council Kgalema Motlanthe will deliver the keynote address at the Wolfson Stadium.
MEC for Human Settlements, Safety and Liaison and Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Aids Council, Ms Helen Sauls-August, said today that the decision to host the National World Aids Day event on Thursday, 1 December at the Wolfson Stadium in KwaZakhele was in line with their plans to focus on this region.
“The Eastern Cape Aids Council has chosen Nelson Mandela Bay as their focus for the next two years as the HIV/Aids statistics on new infections has increased with more than 2% to 29.9% over the past year in this region. We also have serious concerns over the extent of alcohol and drug abuse especially amongst the youth in this area,” she added.
The Eastern Cape municipal areas with the lowest infection rates are Joe Gqabi and Chris Hani.
Calling for civil society and churches to get involved, Sauls-August said that the Adis Council was convinced of the causal link between substance abuse and the increased infection rate. “We will be calling for a ban on alcohol adverts” she said.
Aids Council spokesperson, Bandile Sizani made an impassioned plea for more sports facilities to try and woo the youth from substance abuse.
In beefing up the implementation of HIV/Aids programmes in the city Ward Aids Councils will be established to deal with issues and to raise awareness at grassroots levels.
Several road shows will take place across Nelson Mandela Bay this week, the Sahara International Conference on 28 November at the Feathermarket Hall and the AIDS Activist Awards on November 30th at the Woolboard Exchange amongst other build up events.
Events taking place up to the Kgalema Motlanthe visit:
- 23 November 2011: Wellness Day – Korsten CHC and Liv Hospital Wellness Clinic Shoprite Checkers; Standford Rd; Opposite Livingstone Hospital.
- 25 November 2011: Launch of 16 Days of Activism – Uitenhage/Despatch Babs Madlakane Hall
- 25 November 2011: Wellness Day – Alpha Pharm Pharmaceutical Company – Paterson Road
- 26 November 2011: Wellness Day – Salvation Army – Premises of Salvation Army – Kensington
- 26 November 2011: Grassrootsoccer – New Brighton Oval
- 28 November 2011: Sahara International Conference – Feather Market Hall P.E
- 29 November 2011: Ecumenical Prayer Service – Centenary Hall
- 29 November 2011: Wellness Day – Child Welfare – Babs Madlaknae Hall – Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage
- 30 November 2011: AIDS Activist Awards – Wool Board
- 30 November – 1 Dec 2011: Wellness Day – Lumotech Factory (previously Hella) – Lumotech premises, Kruisrivier Rd, Uitenhage
- 30 November 2011: WAD – St Albans
- 3-4 December 2011: Wellness day – Holy Trinity Church – Central
