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Etwatwa pupil wins schools debate contest - admin - 14-02-2011 Pretoria - The gift of the gab won an Etwatwa schoolgirl top honours at a schools reproductive health debate. Phandimfundo High School pupil, Mathapelo Malope, was named queen of debate on the topic of “Take responsibility and know your health status.” The Reproductive Health High School debate competition is organised by the Ekurhuleni Metro annually. The ten finalists in the competition focused on chronic ailments such as diabetes and cancer, and treatable sexually transmitted illnesses and HIV. Ekurhuleni executive mayor, Mondli Gungubele, encouraged the debate to take the form of an advisory session to the government on the health needs of youth. “You have come here today to help us to solve the question of how young people, being the future of this nation, can fully access their right to all health services, including reproductive health services, without fear of discrimination,” said the mayor. Malope walked away with top honours, while Moleto Mokoena from Dawn View High School won the second prize and Martin Hattingh from Kempton Park High School took third place. “If the robust debates that characterised this year’s competition can be used as a measuring rod to test the level of awareness of learners when it comes to issues such as reproductive health and HIV and Aids at schools, then the Ministries of Health and Basic Education have their work cut out as they plan to introduce voluntary HIV testing in schools,” said municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini. Meanwhile, North West Health MEC, Dr. Magome Masike, urged parents to share the responsibility of passing on health messages to children. “The challenge is that our target group, which is young and sexually active people of between 18 and 24 years of age, is a target group in transit. This group is in transit to adulthood and a new breed of ignorant and innocent boys and girls enters this target group stage every year. They immediately become vulnerable to the dangers of STIs, and that is why health education and the spread of health promotion messages must never stop” he said. Masike said the department was increasingly concerned about the social behaviour, attitudes and the lifestyle of young people. “It is worrying that the youth overindulge in quite a number of harmful things like unprotected sex,” said the MEC. - BuaNews