Deadpool
03-26-2002, 07:12 AM
- Boys in a Northern Province village, where many people have apparently died of Aids, are allegedly turning their attention to goats: they think practising bestiality is the way to avoid getting the disease.
Now the National Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals has appealed to people to come forward with information.
The NSPCA said it had noted an 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.
"An appeal is made to anyone with information on this - or any other bestiality offences to come forward. The NSPCA stresses that charges can only be laid and proceed when information sufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt is to hand."
Captain Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said 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 scholar said.
"It's obvious that if I'm not sick there is nothing I can transmit to goats and goats to me. We won't become HIV-positive because goats don't get Aids. We often share the same goat and don't get each other's diseases," he said.
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 SABC reported that the practice affected goat-farming in the area. Sinah Musekwa, a goat owner, said nobody wanted to buy his goats any more.
"Since we've learnt that these rumours are true people don't want to be associated with these goats. No one wants anything to do with their meat or milk. I'm going to have to destroy my goats," he said.
Now the National Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals has appealed to people to come forward with information.
The NSPCA said it had noted an 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.
"An appeal is made to anyone with information on this - or any other bestiality offences to come forward. The NSPCA stresses that charges can only be laid and proceed when information sufficient to prove beyond reasonable doubt is to hand."
Captain Ailwei Mushavhanamadi said 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 scholar said.
"It's obvious that if I'm not sick there is nothing I can transmit to goats and goats to me. We won't become HIV-positive because goats don't get Aids. We often share the same goat and don't get each other's diseases," he said.
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 SABC reported that the practice affected goat-farming in the area. Sinah Musekwa, a goat owner, said nobody wanted to buy his goats any more.
"Since we've learnt that these rumours are true people don't want to be associated with these goats. No one wants anything to do with their meat or milk. I'm going to have to destroy my goats," he said.