Sactwu members form 2km human chain to raise awareness
MEMBERS of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) formed a human chain along Main Road between Salt River to Mowbray yesterday, to raise awareness about World Aids Month.
The workers held a rope – stretching some 2km – which had more than 100 000 swatches of fabric tied to it.
The swatches represented the number of medical male circumcisions the union funded over the past year, in a bid to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids.
It took more than 30 volunteers five days to complete the rope. Sactwu released 1 000 balloons in Salt River.
Sactwu general secretary Andrè Kriel said each balloon represented 100 circumcisions.
“The World Health Organisation released statistics stating that male circumcision reduces the risk of acquiring HIV by 60 percent.
“We emphasise that male circumcision does not prevent HIV/Aids, but plays a very useful role to reduce the risk of contracting HIV. The Sactwu health programme has been vigorously promoting and conducting male circumcision, at an average cost of just over R800 per male circumcision,” Kriel said.
“In light of this, the union has been and continues to take active steps in the fight against HIV/Aids by creating awareness, providing testing facilities, training and antiretroviral treatment nationwide.”
He said since the inception of the union’s male circumcisions programme in July 2011, 310 188 male circumcisions had been conducted nationally through the union’s accredited health programme.
“We have provided workplace training on HIV and tuberculosis, chronic disease and gender-based violence for 116 686 members and conducted 1 481 factory visits across the provinces,” Kriel said.
He added that 344 shop stewards had received training on HIV/Aids in the workplace and the rights of workers pertaining to the pandemic.
Kriel said the union would continue to take action and create awareness as a means of combating HIV/Aids.