Swaziland politician Timothy Myeni apologised on Thursday for saying all people infected with HIV/Aids should be branded on their buttocks.

Myeni ? whose country is ravaged by the virus ? visited Johannesburg.

Last year, he said branding those infected with the virus would lower infection rates. But he now distanced himself from this.

"I have come up to apologise. I have withdrawn that statement. People should forgive me because it was said in ignorance. Please forgive me," he said.