/ 5 April 2007

E Cape govt irked by ‘hijacked’ condoms

The use of government-issued condoms as business cards at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn has irked Eastern Cape authorities.

The Herald Online on Thursday reported public works spokesperson Jason Lloyd as saying this amounted to the misuse of government resources for personal gain.

He said the culprit was a T-shirt and clothing company, Gooi Mielies, which was distributing promotional stickers stuck on to free government condoms.

Lloyd, who also works as a columnist for the official festival newspaper, said the condoms had been ”hijacked” by Gooi Mielies. The owners of the company were enriching themselves by promoting their business with government property, he contended.

But the owner of Gooi Mielies, Shane Sam, said the government ought to give him a gold medal for his contribution to the fight against Aids.

”We pick up the condoms from government clinics when the expiry date is imminent. If we don’t distribute them, who will? Just think of the pregnancies and infections we have prevented though our conduct,” he said. — Sapa