The death of Aids in SA by 2032 claims Motlanthe ....The government plans to bring down new HIV infection rates to zero in the next 20 years, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said on Saturday. Motlanthe was addressing workers and dignitaries at the Goldfields mine in Carletonville, Gauteng on the occasion of world tuberculosis (TB) day. He said the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections (STI) would be aimed at eliminating new HIV and TB infections, mother to child HIV infections, and have zero preventable deaths as well as discrimination associated with the two viruses. Targets for the next five years would include reducing new HIV infections by half, ensuring that 80% of people who need treatment for HIV received it, and that 70% of these should still be alive and still on treatment after five years. The plan also aims to halve the number of new TB infections and related deaths, create a legal framework to protect the rights of people living with HIV and eliminate the stigma related to both, within the next five years. In order to support these targets, HIV, TB and STI interventions will be included in the work of all departments and the SA National Aids Council (Sanac) would establish provincial Aids councils. These in turn would create district and local Aids councils. Motlanthe said informal settlements would be under the spotlight in the new plan: "The second most critical area of our focus for the first year of implementation is the provision of comprehensive health services in informal settlements across the country." Poised to fight Schools would also be provided with a comprehensive health program. Motlanthe said stigma and discrimination had hampered attempts to fight the disease, and that government was poised to fight this. "Lastly, we want to prioritise the human rights and access to justice component of our interventions. We will embark on a country-wide, well organised campaign to address stigma and discrimination. This has been identified as one of the key activities in this first year of implementation," he said. The campaign would also include mechanisms to ensure that where rights were violated, there was redress and justice. -- Sapa

Aaliyah - The One I Gave My Heart To

what wasted talent - gone too soon...teary eyes

r kelly ft ciara-echo

oh this song just gets me so freakin high....whooooooooooooohhhoo, so orgasmic - loving R Kelly for eons I tell ya

this is my new funny friend - Oh my gosh I am so addicted to this orange bugger - annoying like hell but I love it!!!

Angie Stone - Bottles and Cans

oh yes oh yes

Interview with the intelligent SABC journo, Bulelani Phillip

Radio is probably the least medium to be affected by blogging and social media because it is immediate, says SABC journalist Bulelani Phillip.

The 30 year old journalist also added “I took a chance in journalism (as) I’ve always been a radio junkie. The passion grew stronger as I had to make a choice (as to) what I would do after matric and the rest is history.” 

 He further expresses “I knew I wanted to be in the media and radio in particular. Journalism gives you a very strong academic background unlike the other one year certificates you get from colleges.”

He was born and completed his High School in King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape before pursuing his Journalism studies in Cape Town. Phillip obtained his journalism diploma in 2003 and completed his BTECH in 2004 at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He was fortunate enough to slot into local government reporting early on in his career. This is something he still does today. Says Phillip. 

He is very passionate about his job and states “Journalism is a profession in transition just like the rest of society. I think the challenges such as juniorisation of newsrooms, racial stereotyping in the media and accuracy of information are all well documented. The real challenge is to implement solutions.”

As with any career there will be shortfalls and not so glorious moments, Bulelani experienced a moment quite early in his career that he says no journalist should experience. He had published an article about a man who invented a water saving device during the period of water restriction in Cape Town about five years ago.  Many people who tried it found that it caused more damage to their water pipes than saving water. There was an outcry from some members of the public. “I had to write a corrective piece to warn those people who still wanted to enroll the services of the man who invested in the device. A lesson was learnt in the process. No journalist ever wants to write a correction in their career.”  Phillip further exclaimed.

According to Phillip journalists have a lifetime to build and master their craft in journalism. This is an ever changing and growing industry in which many good journalists stick it out for a lifetime. There are some who leave the industry midway to make money in communication and public relations. The latter is a growing trend and challenge to the journalism industry.

The ambitious journalist says in the next decade he sees himself accomplish one of two things.  His own Communications Company or present his own radio talk show.  He further goes on to add “The sky is the limit. If you believe in it, then do it.”

 

Cellphone footage shows suspected police brutality

• View Photo Cellphone footage shows suspected police brutality

Update: The events shown in the video occurred in November last year and have been followed up by the Sowetan.

The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) on Tuesday said it would be investigating a case of police brutality against an officer at the Vaalwater Police Station in Limpopo.

The case revolves around cellphone video footage that has come to the attention of the Mail & Guardian.

Warning: This video contains footage of a violent nature


The footage shows a uniformed police officer assaulting an unarmed man while in the process of arresting him -- the officer's police van is also clearly identified.

The suspect is punched, kicked in the head, dragged and strangled as community members look on.

The ICD's spokesperson Moses Dlamini said they would contact the police station after being sent the footage by the M&G.

When contacted, officers at the Vaalwater Police Station confirmed that a case had been opened but would not divulge the officer's identity, claiming the case was "sub judice".

The video was first posted on the 2OceansVibe website on March 9 2012. The suspect's identity is unknown.