Some more interesting facts on the youth and HIV/AIDS in South Africa -

HIV Knowledge 
Of those who have heard of HIV/AIDS (91% of all youth), there are some encouraging levels of knowledge about risky sexual behaviours and ways to prevent HIV. Many recognise behaviours that could put one at higher risk for HIV infection such as sleeping with more than one partner (86%) and sharing needles (85%). The majority (83%) of young people also recognise that using a condom is the best way to avoid getting HIV/AIDS, though whites were less likely to agree with this statement (57%). Fifty-three percent of respondents said that a condom stops HIV/AIDS. While this awareness of unsafe behaviours and protective measures is encouraging, many young South Africans still have critical gaps in their knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Some youth erroneously believe that a cure for AIDS currently exists. Forty percent do not know that traditional African medicine does not have a cure for AIDS, and 42% do not know that Western medicine also does not have a cure for AIDS. African youth are more likely to have these misperceptions (44% African youth do not know that traditional African medicine does not have a cure for AIDS compared to 30% of coloureds, 27% of Indians and 19% of whites). Particularly concerning is the fact that one out of four (25%) young South Africans do not know that having sex with a virgin will not cure you of AIDS. These misperceptions could have terrible consequences if young people are less likely to protect themselves from HIV infection because they believe infection may only be temporary, and it could also lead to higher rates of HIV transmission if young girls are exposed in an attempt to 'cure' an infected individual. 

Quoted from the Sunday Times.

The UN released their official research figures on HIV/AIDS. Turned out that Gauteng has the highest number of AIDS cases in the world. One out of every three pregnant women in government hospitals are living with the disease. More than 3.4 Million South Africans are now infected out of a population estimated at 40 Million. Now that it's official, what does the government plan to do about it? No-one knows. It is probably another case of Foot and Mouth (as I refer to it - foot in mouth - read last paragraph) and Cholera, which they are still struggling to contain. Then again, I look at Britain and Europe and suddenly they don't seem too incapable!

An American drugs company offered a full year's supply of testing kits to the South African government for "pasella" (free) which was turned down. Instead the ANC government is harping on a standing contract with an existing supplier which cannot be "undermined" even though it's costing them big money. With a dire shortage of test kits at all clinics across South Africa, this would've been a major boost for healthcare in our country. Maybe they're scared that the figures would rise too drastically for them to duck the issue any longer.

The same applies to the scandalous moratorium on crime statistics. It doesn't help much to stop releasing figures to the press crime, as the press have their own resources. At the end of the day, with the very pessimistic attitude of Joe Citizen in this country, we all know that it's actually getting worse. Not long ago certain organisations came forward with their own analysis and facts on the crime situation in South Africa. It did as a matter of fact, increase quite drastically.
A local program on television reported on drug abuse amongst youngsters in Pretoria. Frightening to say the least with special police units trying their utmost with their limited resources, to curb drug abuse amongst youngsters. Here we're talking eight to fourteen year-old kids! The honorable minister in charge of the SAPS has now decided that all these specialist units must be disbanded and integrated into the rest of the police services. I can see big problems lying ahead for us.
 

Foot in Mouth comes from my days on a farm (where I grew up) in the Northern Transvaal. We had a minor scare with one of the black folk coming to the homestead to report that one of the cows was acting strangely. The explanation was that the cow "hy't voet in die bek" (the foot is in the mouth). It stayed with us. Another case was lockjaw, with "hy't gaklim binne in die kak" which translated means "he climbed in the sh*t". Once you know that in Afrikaans we refer to this ailment as "klem in die kaak", you can see where the deduction comes from.