Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Sunday called on men to take up their responsibility in the war against women and children violence and the scourge of HIV and Aids.

Said Mlambo-Ngcuka, speaking at the fourth Treatment Action Campaign National Congress held at the Birchwood Hotel: "Good men must not be silent on issues affecting women including HIV and Aids. When good men are silent, they become part of the problem."

She said she wanted to see real men speaking out about HIV, being the first ones to take out condoms before a sex act, being the ones to encourage their partners to test and discuss the test results and also being the ones to explain to the rest of the family about infant feeding choices for the Preventing Mother-To-Child-Transmission.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said she believed the country had the necessary supportive environment as contained in the country's legal frameworks, policies, strategies, organisational arrangements, leadership and partnerships necessary to mount a robust response.

The "commitments expressed by the different role players needs to translate into tangible outputs."

She stressed the importance of family in the fight against HIV and Aids, adding that awareness started at home and in the family.

Mlambo-Ngcuka said the recent Noord Street Taxi Rank incident, where a woman wearing a mini skirt was assaulted by taxi drivers and hawkers, was worrisome.

"These stereotypes are some of the things that need to change."

She called for more committed social mobilisation to stop this type of violence.

The deputy president thanked the Treatment Action Campaign and other role players in the fight against HIV and Aids and said government realised that the fight cannot be won without partners.

"It is for this reason that we are grateful for the cordial relations that, even as we differ on one issue or the other, we are able to agree on the fundamentals that are necessary to move forward".

Sapa

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