Kopo Ndhlovu

In 1998, World Aids Day was commemorated for the first time on 1 December, and every year since that year this day has been dedicated to raising awareness about HIV and Aids, and in more recent years about the many strides we have made in fighting this deadly disease.

In the early years of the pandemic, countless lives were lost, and the world had very few answers or solutions to prevent what seemed like an unstoppable disease.  For many years the commemoration of World Aids Day was dedicated to the lives lost and South Africa was one of the countries hardest hit.

Human trafficking is a global problem and a form of modern day slavery. It affects millions of people around the world and the majority of victims are women and children. It often results in the exploitation of girls and women mainly, as well as boys and men where victims are unable to escape from their trafficker. Victims are coerced into forced labour, sexual exploitation, servitude or slavery-like practices, removal of body parts and forced marriages. 

Being spoken to in your mother tongue always evokes a sense of pride and reaffirms that your heritage and origin matter. Mother tongue starts at birth and continues throughout life, and it is therefore important for children to be educated and instructed in their mother tongue. Being taught in a language other than mother tongue, compromises a person’s ability to learn effectively.

The start of the New Year, many matriculants will be hunting for spaces at various tertiary institutions across the country. At the same time, a significant number of graduates will be leaving institutions of higher learning in search of employment after having attained their qualifications.