HIV and AIDS need to be declared as a matter of national security

Mbeki questioned the link between HIV and AIDS, arguing that it is not this virus that causes death. He quoted number of people who have been living with the virus for years. Instead he is convinced that it is poverty that kills people not the virus.

Now it is his deputy within the party who argues that after a "quickie" with an positive person one can take a shower to minimize chances of getting HIV. Not only that I am embarrassed as a man but feels that we are failing the whole nation. For mother nature's sake he doesn't even tell which shower, warm or cold, that helps to reduce chances.

I do not believe in media censorship but for the matter of national security the story was not supposed to be published. We have a very vulnerable society, traditional healers say their version of how the virus operate, gender issues-some women being forced to have sex without using condoms, alcohol and drug abuse, and now politicians playing into people's heads. I believe this is becoming too much.

I imagine the number of people who say "yes it is true the president said there is no relationship between the virus and AIDS, you can see even the minister of health doesn't take TAC serious and now the deputy president of the ANC has proven that HIV is not a problem"

Honestly for the sake of the country and many lives that have been put at risk by this irresponsible reporting the story was not supposed to be published. As a country we are facing a crisis. HIV and AIDS I believe has reached a point where it has to be declared a national security concern.

We also need an urgent legislation that will enable prosecution of people who make irresponsible speeches around HIV and AIDS and also to prosecute those who intentionally infect others.