Buffalo City talks
STIs in Sweetwaters
By Nangamso Mabindla
20 February 2007
SAFE sexual practices - how to avoid contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - and child abuse topped the agenda when the Buffalo City health department hosted a Health Day in Sweetwaters in King William's Town.
The aim of the Health Day, held at the Sweetwaters Community Hall on Friday, 16 February, was to encourage the youth of Sweetwaters to avoid STIs and to help fight child abuse in their area.
Speakers came from pharmaceutical company Aspen, Frere Hospital and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Focusing on STIs and early pregnancy, Aspen's Songezo Conjwa said that unwanted pregnancies contributed to shattered dreams and the rising number of street children in Buffalo City.
"You are our future and you have lots of potential in you - that is why I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to you to be careful about being involved in relationships," he said.
Talking about the important steps that needed to be taken when people wanted children, Conjwa said, "You need to look at whether you are ready to be a parent, your financial resources and also consider if you and your partner are ready for such a big responsibility."
He urged the teens to learn more about the use of contraceptives so that they could avoid unwanted pregnancies and STIs. Participants were also told that there were more than 20 different STIs.
Women and child abuse was also on the agenda. The director of the SAPS in King William's Town, Andre Swart, urged people to report incidents of abuse. "The children sitting here are the future of our country; parents should refrain from abusing them. We have a social crime prevention unit that aims to deal with cases of women and child abuse."
Swart urged children to report abuse to their teachers, who would take the matter to the police. "The police will arrest anyone who is a woman and child abuser. I want to make that promise today - no abuser will walk on the streets of Sweetwaters."
The SAPS handed out diaries to the children, with contact information for various police departments.
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