Brief reports on workshop proceedings

Mr Robin Hamilton, Training Manager at Aurum Health Research, presented a Power Point presentation on anti retroviral treatment of mining employees which explained the problems and the benefits of treatment and gave us an insight of what is being done for HIV positive employees by the mines. Of particular significance was the total cost per employee per month, some ZAR1,500 or about US$ 230.


Prof. Marike de Witt of UNISA's Department of Teacher Education also did a Power Point presentation entitled, "Africa's orphan crisis - is it the teachers concern ?". In her presentation she highlighted the vital developmental needs of the child on route to adulthood. Given the orphan crisis, she argued that the education system will have to be the primary provider of this support.


In his paper, Dr Volker Hooyberg, articulated policy thinking strategies applied to the challenges of curbing the continued spread of HIV infections, and the relevance of its founding thinker Harold Lasswell. The historical association of policy thinking and communication theory as attributed to Harold Lasswell was outlined, and the moral and practical implications of his ideas was elaborated. The significance of HIV negative persons and their protection was argued to be a primary concern for policy making. The work of Ithiel de Sola Pool is also considered in developing this case.


Dr Sunette Pienaar, Director of Heartbeat, an NGO that cares for some 7000 orphans, presented the case for a feminist theology as a necessary response to the AIDS pandemic, giving the patriarchal abuses of our Western theological tradition. The vulnerability of women in the crisis was highlighted and the need to preach the contextual relevance of this theology.


Mrs Welly den Hollander also gave a Power Point presentation on the work she does as a social worker at McCord Hospital in Durban, South Africa. This involved the training of counsellors and care-givers, particularly in church and pastoral contexts.


Dr Michel Clasquin of UNISA's Department of Religious Studies sketched in broad outlines the Buddhist and to a lesser extent Hindu response to the AIDS pandemic. Of particular interest was his reference to the special goddess to whom is attributed the origin and potential management of the AIDS virus. Fascinatingly enough shrines to this goddess have begun springing up in India according to Dr Clasquin.


Professor Maluleke spoke of the kairos of the Church's response to AIDS and the inescapable curricular implications the pandemic holds for all tertiary educators. The kairos moment for him is the incorporation of the AIDS crisis into theology and theological education.


Mr Leon Roets presented the stark changes to the demographic profile as a consequence of the pandemic. Of particular note is the dramatic reduction of sexually and economically active youths and the resultant disproportionate numbers of the very old and the very young.


Dr Lincoln Michell briefly outlined some of the theological and ethical implications of the pandemic. The paper dealt firstly with the implicit theological problem posed by the very existence of AIDS: that of human suffering in the world of the kind of God Christians believe in. Theology is challenged to examine itself and revise its agenda in terms of an audit outline by T S Maluleke. Such an audit involves the radical revision of a number of our key theological categories and the introduction of new elements of critique, notably from the feminist perspective. Finally, the prospect of a global renaissance - as precipitated by spiritual and moral renewal within the Church - is briefly explored. The ethical dimensions of the crisis - both as implied by this theology and as prescribed by a recognized bio-ethics (comprising at least four principles : patient autonomy, beneficence, non malevolence, and justice) are also examined.


In his paper, Reverend Dr Harold in giving a pastoral response to the problem of evil, argued the need to move beyond the polemic and to give attention to how a person can find meaning and hope in suffering. He proposed that in using the appropriate images of God in suffering, these images will help a person find such meaning, thereby enabling the sufferer to become more positive in their faith and of service to God and humanity.


Mr Etsko Schuitema gave a riveting presentation on his theory of the process of human maturation with particular reference to the experience of death. Two radically differing attitudes to death were outlined : on the one hand there is the prevailing notion of death as the enemy avoided, dreaded and not discussed ; on the other there is his concept of death as the fulfillment of human life to be submitted to and accepted as an integral aspect of our maturity.


Dr VJ Rugbeer, Acting Head of Department of Communication at the University of Zululand, encouraged the participation of all institutions present, in a follow-up workshop. He expressed the wish that this should be held in the Zululand area, particularly hard-hit as it is by the pandemic.


Student presentation : Gus Luthuli of the University of Zululand presented an outline of qualitative research challenging communicators to deal with the HIV/AIDS exposure among KwaZulu-Natal youth. He observed an increase in the number of school girls between the ages of 13 and 19 years old attending ante-natal clinics. This causes serious concern because it reflects on risky sexual practices of these young girls. Communication as a discipline should try and tackle this challenge through rigorous and focused campaigns.


Student presentation : Tom Were Okello and Mothae Moletsane, also of the University of Zululand presented an approach aimed at identifying- potential solutions to HIV-related stigma and discrimination in an African university environment. Using a Power Point presentation, they demonstrated the interconnection of stigma, discrimination and student/human rights.