On the occasion of the HIV/AIDS Mass Participation Event
19 August 2005

THANK YOU for inviting us to this very important event. It is through events like these that as the Mogale City Local Municipality we re-emphasise our commitment to fight HIV/AIDS. Such events also afford us the opportunity to educate people about programmes aimed at ensuring that more people do not get infected and about programmes aimed at ensuring that those that are infected get access to the necessary treatment in accordance with government's treatment plan.

Let me firstly congratulate the new membership of the Local AIDS Council. People that give of their time unselfishly must always be acknowledged, for it is when you give to others that you receive in abundance. From the bottom of my heart, I salute you. I wish you the best in all your activities. I give salute also to all other people that have taken up the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly the volunteers and co-ordinators. God bless you.

Our primary objective as the Mogale City Local Municipality is to implement a variety of HIV/AIDS programmes in alignment with Local, Provincial and National strategies that emphasise community education and awareness, prevention programmes and stakeholder involvement. The re-constitution and re-affirmation of the Local AIDS Council is an element of this primary objective. Focus has also been given to the short-term employment of ward-based HIV/AIDS co-ordinators, with specific interventions on training. The same focus is also channelled to volunteers.

Through the celebration of World AIDS Day, we plan to reach at least 2000 households in Mogale City. Of course, we must reach all households and that is very much what the plan is and will always be. This is so because over and above the programmes I have mentioned, we are engaged in a number of programmes that when put together, will have reached much more people. These programmes include candlelight ceremonies, the establishment of home-based care services, supporting NGO's through grant funding, a Programme on Mother To Child Transmission and others.

We plan to have candlelight ceremonies whose main goal is to reach over 500 PWA's by May next year. These are important so that we continue to show and pledge our love and support to those living with HIV/AIDS. This we do not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because that is who we are as Mogale City. We do this because we are talking about our brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, it is our aunts and uncles, and indeed, it is our mothers and fathers, our neighbours and our friends. How then do we not give them our love and support?

Another important element of our primary objective is to ensure that there is home-based care as part of reaching out to as many people as we can. This programme is aimed at sustaining home-based care services through the provision of medical and other resources across Mogale City.

In terms of NGO's, we are engaged in activities that seek to make available grant funding to at least one NGO in a month or two. This is critical in that we need to widen the reach, as we know we cannot do it alone. This is a matter that touches all of us, and as part of MCLM vision, community involvement is a necessity. We also have a Programme on Mother To Child Transmission, and our focus is to increase the utilisation by at least 20% by mid next year. The programme is one of the ways through which as MCLM we attack the spread of this disease.

As the MCLM we remain committed to fighting HIV/AIDS in a comprehensive, relevant and appropriate manner. I call on all people of Mogale City to take the responsibility of educating one another around the challenges brought about by the HIV/AIDS virus. We have to work together to kill this disease, permanently. Good luck in all your activities.

Thank you