Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - November 8, 2000
Khanyisile Maepa, Mbabane
CONDOMS donated to Swaziland from the East and some American countries are too small for Africa's well endowed men and tear during sex, Swaziland parliamentarians told a HIV/Aids crisis committee meeting in the small kingdom this week. Parliamentarian Majahodvwa Dlamini told the conference in Swaziland's industrial centre of Manzini that the inadequate condoms were exposing people to HIV infection. "They are just too small for us and therefore tear when used. It is very confusing because it has got to the point where people are now warning us not to use them," he said. Dlamini was part of a delegation of 30 parliamentarians and traditional leaders, or chiefs, at the meeting. Swaziland National Aids Programme representative Beatrice Dlamini (no relation) said people had to be pragmatic and reserve the smaller condoms for Swazis who did not need bigger versions. "Those that can should use these condoms, because they were sent to us by foreign donors and it would be very rude to send them back," she told the meeting. The controversial condoms from the USA and various Far Eastern countries are part of Swaziland's national safe sex programme and are distributed free-of-charge in both urban and rural areas. She stressed that many of the problems, including tears during sexual intercourse, could be caused by incorrect storage or because the condoms were used after their sell-by dates. The controversy is the second public debate about the size and quality of free condoms in Swaziland within the past three months. The public previously complained to local newspapers that condoms donated to Swaziland by various Far Eastern countries used a strange smelling lubricant. Some of the complainants contended the lubricant actually transmitted HIV, sparking a public outcry. Crisis Committee chairperson Christabel Motsa stressed that government was conducting a national survey to gauge which kinds of condoms Swazi citizens trusted and used. Over 25% of Swaziland's population of roughly one million people is reported to already be HIV positive, with infection in some key sectors such as teaching reported to be even higher. - African Eye News Service
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