By Nangamso Mabindla
5 December 2006

CELEBRATING life topped the agenda when the West Bank Tourism and Heritage Trust commemorated World Aids Day on Friday, 1 December.

The trust invited youngsters from the area to attend the event and to listen to ways they could play a role in the region's development. Officials from the Department of Correctional Services, the South African Police Service and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) members were also there.

Concerns under the spotlight ranged from HIV and Aids, crime and prostitution, to ways to promote tourism in the West Bank area.

The chairman of the trust, Boniwe Gungqa, said that his group had chosen to hold the event at the West Bank water fun park because it was felt it needed to be revived. "This park used to be a prime tourism area and with the Grand Prix circuit close [by], the municipality can still bring it back to life. The reason we called the youth here is because our youth don't have many activities in this area," she said.

According to people who live in the region, all the development in East London takes place at the beachfront. "We want the municipality to work with us and bring fun activities here. This pool park can be used as [a] form of entertainment," she said, adding that with the Industrial Development Zone gathering momentum it was important that the rest of the city moved with it.

Turing her attention to the issue at hand, HIV and Aids, she said that instead of being a tourist attraction the pool park and circuit attracted prostitution instead.

"This is a haven for prostitution and people drive from the city centre to find prostitutes [here]. This puts them at risk of getting infected with HIV. Another risk is crime because criminals come here to rob these clients," Gungqa said.

TAC volunteer Thandeka Saleni urged the youngsters to take the scourge seriously. "Every individual has a role in the fight against HIV and Aids. People should know their status because this will protect not only them but other people as well."

She encouraged youngsters living with the virus to start taking anti-retroviral treatment and to continue living healthily. "I also want to encourage pregnant women to start the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme so that they protect their children from the virus."