SABC 3 SHOCKING STATISTICS

According to SABC 3 News at 19:00 tonight "80% of the community of Oukasie Location in Brits, North West are HIV positive. As much as we recognise that the rate of HIV infections in SA is exceptionally high we also need to ensure that statistics that we publish are also accurrate and do not stigmatise a particular community as being a highly infected. I may not be qualified to dispute the accuracy of the report but from a lay-man's point of view it poses a lot of questions as to the source of the statistics which literally mean that 8 in every 10 citizens of that area are living with HIV.

I think this kind of reporting is irresponsible and undermines the Government's efforts in educating the public and dealing with the pandemic. And if the reports are accurate I'm prepared to swallow my words and walk the path of shame while at same time symphathising with the Oukasie residents. HIV and AIDS has led to many South Africans placing a stigma on it's sufferers and it is important that whenever we report about anything related to the decease we should be careful not to label any particular place as a haven for the virus.

It is my understanding that illiteracy and ignorance contribute a lot to the spread of HIV an AIDS which brings me to a point that the report means that the majority of Oukasie residents have been ignorant of all information regarding the spread of HIV and AIDS. Also the Health Department in Madibeng and the North West Province is not doing enough to educate the people in their communities about HIV and AIDS.

The News report was meant to focus on the continuation of the Nelson Mandela Week and the visit of donors to a shelter housing orphaned children in the area but it ended up publishing what I still believe is inaccurate statistics about the settlement's HIV and AIDS infection rate.

The small settlement of Oukasie is the birthplace of Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns top striker Katlego Mphela, the home of the late ANC stalward Billy Mashao, the birthplace of the now disbanded Harambee Womens Network, the scene of resistance against apartheid government's cruel Group Areas Act. Jay Naidoo, John Gomomo, Popo Molefe and many more politicians graced the area during their political puberty and learned a lot about fighting the system from the residents of Oukasie.

If the SABC News report is accurate then the government needs to start acting now to prevent any more infection and stop the erosion of the people of Oukasie. But if the report is inaccurate then the SABC owes the people of Oukasie an apology and the BCCSA must take the SABC to task and ensure that they stick to their commitment of giving the viewers "News that is accurate, Comment that is fair and Programming that is not harmful".