JOHANNESBURG – THE NATIONAL Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty Against
Animals (NSPCA) appealed to the public to come forward with
information on allegations that Northern Province villagers
practise bestiality to avoid contracting Aids.
An NSPCA statement said on Monday it had noted the SABC news
report that boys of Mamvuka Village in Nzhelele Valley in the far
north of the province have sex with goats to avoid getting Aids.
The organisation said other admissions were made during the news
insert which was broadcast on Sunday evening, but the NSPCA had not
yet received any official complaints.
”Bestiality is a criminal offence. Charges can be laid under the
Criminal Procedure Act and also in terms of the Animals Protection
Act,” the NSPCA statement said.
It said two convictions were recently obtained for bestiality
and both offenders were imprisoned without the option of a fine.
Police representative Captain Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said on
Monday that the Northern Province police had not received any
reports of such crimes.
But the SABC interviewed at least one boy who admitted he
considered bestiality as safe sex, and that he and his friends had
sex with goats up to four times a week.
”We know about Aids and we are very afraid of it. That is why we
are having sex with these goats. Goats don’t have Aids. We see people in the village dying everyday. It’s because they
have slept with one another and infected each other. Goats can’t
get those infections. We would therefore rather have sex with
them,” a Grade 11 learner told the broadcaster.
The NSCPA said some of the statements made during the broadcast
revealed a lack of education and that an information campaign
should be launched in the affected areas.
”Whether education or prosecution is the key, the matter cannot
move forward without co-operation and solid information. The NSPCA is deeply concerned that the youths repeatedly stated
their reasoning for having sex with goats – avoidance of Aids. It
is suggested that urgency be given to correcting such myths,” the NSPCA statement read. – Sapa