A time to reflect
We offer our sincerest condolences to Zimkhitha Gaga’s family on the tragic loss of your daughter, cousin and mother. Our thoughts are with you all as we enter this festive season, which is a time for family and remembrance.
No words can take away your pain, but know that the community are sharing your loss with you.
Rest in peace, Zimkhitha. With the matric exams over, we wish these young people well as they await their results and plan the next steps in their future.
We wish them time and space to reflect while they enjoy a well-earned rest.
Today is World Aids Day, when we respect and acknowledge people affected by HIV/Aids.
According to Stats SA’s mid-2021 estimates, the total number of people living with HIV is estimated at about 8.2 million.
For people aged 15-49 years, an estimated 19.5% of the population is HIVpositive.
The estimated overall HIV prevalence rate among SA’s population was about 13.7% a year-and-a-half ago.
The 2022 Unaids theme for World Aids Day is “Equalise”.
“The inequalities which perpetuate the Aids pandemic are not inevitable; we can tackle them,” Unaids says, explaining the theme.
Covid-19 and the lockdown, Unaids says, affected the progress SA had been making in addressing the world’s largest HIV epidemic.
A 2019 research report (https://www.csis.org/) stated 4,500 people were infected every week in SA, one third of whom were adolescent girls or young women aged 15-24.
Unaids says only a third of people in key populations – including gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender people – have regular prevention access.
“Key populations face major legal barriers including criminalisation, discrimination and stigma.”
Unaids says it is important to increase the availability, quality and suitability of services for HIV treatment, testing and prevention.
It is also important to reform laws, policies and practices to tackle the stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV, and key and marginalised populations, so that everyone is shown respect and is welcomed.
It is for these reasons, among others, that the highprofile political and official backing of, first, the launch of the 16 Days of Activism campaign and, second, the first LGBTQIA+ Pride event held in Port Alfred were significant.
The provincial and local governments, and the premier’s visible support for these campaigns is valuable.
Our Sunshine Holiday edition will be available from December 9 at all retail outlets wherever Talk of the Town is sold, as well as participating businesses, hotels, guesthouses and tourism offices in the Sunshine Coast and Makhanda area.
It will be your guide to what is on offer at our local businesses over the festive season, as well as what events will take place. Be sure to pick up your free copy.