Independent
On-Line, 02 December 2002, 'It's time to talk sex to children' - Madiba
Former president
Nelson Mandela has exhorted traditional leaders to get mothers and fathers in
their communities talking to their children about sex.
Addressing about 300 traditional leaders from across the country on World Aids
Day in Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Sunday Mandela said the era of parents
refusing to discuss sex with their children was past.
Parents should explain to their children why they should delay as long as
possible before having sex. And they should explain that when they decided it
was time for sex, they should have one partner and use a condom.
"Don't be shy," he urged. "My grandson here (Andile) is only nine
years old. But they are already being taught at school about HIV and Aids, and
they come home and talk to me about it."
Mandela said traditional leaders had a crucial
role to play in empowering their people with information about HIV and Aids.
"It is not enough for you to listen to us
talking . . . the question is: What are you doing on the ground to help your
people, in your villages, in the country?" Mandela demanded.
The gathering was hosted by the Nelson Mandela
Foundation, which has been taking its Traditional Leaders HIV and Aids Programme
to all corners of the country over the past few months.
In the audience were representatives of provincial
Traditional Leaders' HIV and Aids Task Teams set up by the department of health.
Mandela said the starting point in tackling the
pandemic was the realisation that it had already killed more people than had
died in recent wars and natural disasters together.
"It is a war against humanity," he said,
which could not be tackled by any government on its own. "It is of no use
criticising the government. As I have said before, I support the government
insofar as it is conducting scientific research into certain medicines."
South Africans should stop apportioning blame and get
down to tackling the problem themselves.
Traditional
leaders signed a Traditional Leaders' Charter on HIV and Aids supporting
Mandela's call for good leadership, acknowledging the reality of the
pandemic and committing themselves to communicating with their people on the
issues.
On
Sunday three of South Africa's largest union federations, the Congress of
South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Federation of Unions of South Africa
(Fedusa) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu), challenged the
government and private employers to do more to fight HIV and Aids and to
stop discriminating against HIV positive employees.