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Past Issues
September 2000

Industry Thoughts on HIV / AIDs

In the feature on HIV / Aids carried in last months edition of FleetWaych, we made mention of the questionnaire we sent to over 300 companies in the industry asking for answers to three questions relating to HIV/AIDS. Here are a selection of the comments to each question. It provides food for thought and clearly endorses the core message that emerged in our feature, namely, that more action is needed on all fronts.

  1. What progress and/or initiatives would you, as a company, like to see in the fight against HIV/AIDS from Government, the Department of Transport and the Department of Health - based on the fact that 22% of the transport industry workforce is expected to be affected?
    • Co-ordinated government campaigning instead of fragmented departmental action.

      Remove barriers to treatment by employers contained in legislation. Government clinics to give feedback to company clinics - Imperial Transport Holdings

    • The Dept of Transport should get endorsements from leading sports and TV celebrities to educate via relevant media. The public look up to these stars, paving the way for a positive image to reinforce the campaign issues instead of the scare tactics taken thus far - Drivers and More

    • There is little or no contact between Government/DoT/DoH and the transport industry. Associations like the RFA should be more proactive in this regard - Driver Entrepreneurs

    • In the economic situation that southern Africa finds itself in, no amount of education is going to stop prostitution. Therefore, large government subsidised and controlled truck stop areas are needed. They would be run by private enterprise but would have to conform to strict regulation, with transporters facing penalties for drivers not using or abusing these stops. - GDC Hauliers
  2. What current awareness generating/training programmes of any type is your company utilising? What employee levels within your group are being targeted? (management, drivers, employees, family.)
    • To be honest, only word of mouth from controllers and managers who work directly with drivers. More needs to be done collectively by Government, Departments and Business - Bakers Transport

    • Not enough! Only the usual posters targeting factory workers - Sachs SA (Pty) Ltd

    • All levels are targeted. The peer education programme is being revisited and the medical fund has launched an HIV/AIDS programme to ensure appropriate medical management and care - Engen Petroleum Ltd

    • AIDS policy developed and issued to all employees. A workplace programme has been developed which is managed by an AIDS project manager. HIV/AIDS theatre and family days held in both Silverton and PE. Have sponsored and participated in community events in Mamelodi. Between 10 000 and 15 000 condoms dispensed monthly to employees - SAMCOR

    • Pamphlets, posters and advice on a one-to-one basis at company clinics, Hospice funding, UNAIDS GIPA Project participation, industrial theatre, RFEA and NBCRFI programmes - Imperial Transport Holdings

    • None that I am aware of - Super Nissan

    • AIDS and sex awareness programmes are run in-house as well as industrial theatre for employees, families etc. - Nissan SA
  3. Given that the trucking industry has been identified as a high risk sector in the spread of HIV/AIDS, do you feel there are sufficient awareness generating campaigns aimed specifically at the trucking industry - by anybody - and are they reaching the correct audience?
    • The HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign is not sufficient. A great deal more needs to be done via the media, billboards, radio and TV - perhaps even a small message on the back of trucks informing the public that the drivers of such transporters understand the message and consequences of HIV/AIDS - Value Truck Rental

    • Other than the articles featured in FleetWatch, we are not aware of any other HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign aimed specifically at the trucking industry - SAMCOR

    • No, not sufficient at all. We need hard-hitting acknowledgement from the Government and Unions - not just a song and dance! - Freeman's Transport

    • No, definitely not. More education is desperately needed - Elliott International

    • There are definitely not enough awareness campaigns. We found it quite frightening how many drivers know nothing at all about AIDS - Barmot Truck Hire

    • There are not sufficient awareness programmes distributed to the trucking industry - Spartan Truck Hire

    • Insufficient education and the campaigns that are running are not reaching the correct audience - PG Autoglass

    • Definitely not - it is common knowledge that the sex industry is actively at work along all major trucking routes and therefore the rate of infection is extremely high. Awareness has not slowed the practice in the least. In fact it has increased! Perhaps the availability of free condoms at most of these points would be a step in the right direction - Jurgens Truck Centre

FleetWatch would like to thank those companies which took the time and trouble to reply to the questionnaire. And to those who didn't, we say don't stand on the sidelines hoping it's all going to go away. Join the fight against HIV/AIDS. It's in your own interest to do so.