Perseverance Band will be tinkling ivories
A 50TH anniversary high note for the Perseverance Christmas String Band from Elsies River is a piano donated by benefactors who read about the group in the Cape Times recently.
“This is the first piano we are going to have in the band, and already we have recruited pianist John Frans jr, to start training our youth musicians on Saturdays from next year on,” said vice-chairperson Moira Beukes.
Donors Ulf and Inga Hitzeroth of Vredehoek said they initially wanted to sell the piano, which had belonged to their daughter for 12 years.
“We decided to donate it to somebody that needs it from the disadvantaged community. I read the article in the Cape Times and decided to donate it to them,” said Ulf.
Beukes expressed the band’s gratitude to the Hitzeroth couple, saying: “We’re excited and overwhelmed by the response. We’ve also received financial donations from individuals and that will help us with our music development programme youth musicians.”
The piano is with a band member until a stable teaching venue becomes available, Beukes said.
As part of the 85-strong band’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year, 50 of its members recently hosted a Majestic for our
Musical Journey show at the Artscape Theatre to showcase how members’ talents blossomed, said Keith Moore.
Moore is the son of late Johannes Moore, who together with the late John Frans started the band, affectionately called “Persies”, at the Moore’s home in Elsies River in 1969.
OF THE 37.9 million people globally living with HIV at the end of 2018, 79% received testing, 62% received treatment and 53% had achieved suppression of the HIV virus with reduced risk of infecting others.
Thousands of community health workers and members of the HIV and key population networks – many of whom are living with HIV or affected by the epidemic – contributed to the statistic, which the World Health Organisation has lauded.
World Aids Day is commemorated each year on December 1, and is an opportunity to unite in the fight against HIV.
The theme this year is “It is my right to know my status; Prevention is my responsibility”.
The South African government said the country had been relentless in its mission to turn the HIV/Aids and TB epidemics around, and there were notable achievements to celebrate.
“There have been many scientific advances in HIV treatment and we now have a much better understanding of the virus.
“More people are receiving antiretroviral treatment, which means HIV infection rates are decreasing.
“There is also a scientific optimism around the benefits of treatment as prevention, and progress towards a cure and vaccine,” the government said.
In 2012, the government implemented the National Strategic Plan on HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Tuberculosis 2012 – 2016. In 2010, it scaled up its antiretroviral treatment programme.
“As part of this, the Department of Health will start HIV-positive patients with a CD4 count of 500 or less on antiretroviral treatment, as opposed to the present CD4 count of 350.
“All HIV-positive pregnant women will also receive lifelong treatment, regardless of their CD4 counts. Currently, HIV-positive pregnant women receive treatment until they stop breast-feeding.
“Despite our many advances, we still struggle to eliminate the stigma associated with HIV infection,” it said.