| Ncandweni offices vandalised in Jo’burg |
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 TWO SABC journalists and a leading South African AIDS activist were yesterday arrested after members of the National Association of People With Aids (NAPWA) forcibly entered and vandalised Ncandweni Christ Ambassadors offices in Johannesburg.They demanded the immediate closure of the NCA Music offices based in Bruma, Kensington and reloca-tion of members of the gospel group to Swaziland following statements made by lead singer, Lubulini Mem-ber of Parliament, Timothy Myeni, who allegedly said all HIV-positive people should be branded to prevent further spread of the disease.
Ncandweni Christ Ambassadors is one of the leading gospel groups in Swaziland with a huge following in South Africa.NAPWA spokesperson Nkululeko Nxesi was arrested together with the unidentified SABC journalists after he allegedly led the mob that vandalised the NCA offices, a march South African police say was illegal. This after Nxesi claimed to have got hold of a recorded message in which Myeni made these remarks during a church service in Daveyton, South Africa, in 2007. Nxesi was quoted in the SABC News website saying yesterday: “We have gained access to their offices in Kensington where we are saying they must not leave their offices. “They must close down their offices completely in South Africa. They have since now called the police. As we speak, they are trying to resolve the matter but as NAPWA we are adamant that we are not moving here until they close their offices because they are continuing insulting people living with HIV/Aids and we feel that they must pack their bags and go back to Swaziland,” Nxesi said. Myeni apologised last year during a media briefing in Johannesburg. The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) accepted Myeni’s apology on condition that he returns to Swaziland and apologises on all media plat-forms and positively speaks about the prevention and treatment of HIV/Aids. South Africa currently has the worst Aids epidemic in the world, with more than 5.6 million cases of HIV/Aids. Everyday, 1 000 South Africans die of Aids related causes. HIV/Aids prevalence in South Africa is estimated to be between 18-24%. Of all the deaths that occur in South Africa, half are from Aids related causes. Originally published in Swazi Observer: http://www.observer.org.sz/index.php?news=11052 |