YOUTH clubs in Mpumalanga are being urged to introduce the ancient SiSwati custom of virginity testing in an attempt to fight the spread of the pandemic. Mpumalanga has the second highest Aids and HIV infection rates in South Africa. The first youth club to adopt the practice, Vukuzakhe Youth Club in the small farming towns of Ermelo and Wesselton, has already tested 200 local teenagers. Club president John Mabaso said on Monday that 196 of those tested proved to be virgins. He said that the age-old custom has been modified, however, to also test boys, and not just girls. The club is assisted by well-known KwaZulu-Natal virginity tester, Fikile Mhlongo, who was responsible for reintroducing the custom in that province. “We want the children to be aware of the consequences of indulging in sex before reaching adulthood,” said Mabaso.
KANYAMAZANE POWERLESS
ALMOST 2000 people in KaNyamazane near Nelspruit spent the past week without electricity because they owe R590000 in outstanding bills, Transitional Electricity Distributors said on Monday. The TED cut the power supply to homes that were in arrears last Monday and warned residents not to illegally reconnect the electricity as they could face fines of R910. Many of the residents owed money since the TED first took over from the Kangwane Electricity Supply Corporation four years ago. When TED took over operations, the government undertook to pay half the arrears, and residents the other half.
DP CLOSER TO BECOMING NNP
THE Democratic Party announced on Monday that it is being joined by former National Party MPs Pauline Cupido, Glen Carelse and Chris Wyngaard.
MASS MOROCCAN PARDON
MOROCCO’S King Hassan II pardoned 854 prisoners on Monday, the day of Eid el-Fitr which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The justice ministry announced a total of 512 prisoners will be released immediately, while the others had their sentences commuted. The ministry did not say whether any of those pardoned were political prisoners.
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