The worrying thing about Temba Mliswa public HIV test thing

Norton member of parliament Temba Mliswa took a public HIV test to deal with the rumours that he is infecting ‘young innocent girls’ with the condition.

Now there are many questions around it one being, is he boinking them but not infecting them? But that is not the issue, although he did say he does not hook up with girls younger than his oldest daughter who is 27, which is fair enough.

The whole making a public spectacle of the HIV test and flaunting a status does very little to deal with issues of stigma. Sure, one can say it is based on a public accusation and so the best place to deal with it is to have a public test. There is an argument to be made for that. Add to that, taking the stigma out of being tested by having a public figure tested.

The thing is, what many will see here is the headline. That Hon Mliswa is negative and not infecting anyone with HIV. While in the grand scheme of trying to eliminate HIV that is a great thing, one argues that the fact that there has to be a grand standing for the second part that is worrying.

What it says, is that if one is HIV positive, they are probably going around infecting people with reckless abandon. And that one has to prove they are not HIV positive to show that they are not spreading HIV. That people who are HIV positive have to be consigned to a certain group.

We are pretty sure there was no intent to harm from Mliswa, but you can see how it can be seen as not being helpful.