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News24 reports on a Cape Town domestic worker from Khayelitsha who was allegedly fired for disclosing her HIV-positive status. Now, Mavis Tambo, who said she was heartbroken and deeply offended, is imploring people to educate themselves about the virus.
Mavis Tambo, 42, had been working for Daronn Carroll and his family for the past four months, and had never had any problems at work. On Thursday, she decided to tell her employers about her health condition because she would be late for work once a month to pick up her medication at the day hospital. “I felt that because I was getting attached to the family I thought it would be better if I let them know about my health, so that they don't hear from anyone else and that they understand why I'll be late once a month," Tambo explained. She advised them that she was diagnosed with HIV more than 10 years ago and there was no reason why she couldn't continue doing her job because she was taking her meds and keeping healthy and fit. Tambo reported what happened: “On Thursday, I got a call to say that my services were no longer needed and that the family didn't want me in their home anymore because they were scared I was going to infect them with HIV. I told my boss that's not how HIV is spread, and that nothing would happen to the family when I'm around. But they didn't see it like that and said that I use their cutlery and drink from the same glasses... my stains would be on it and they didn't want to take the risk of having me around everyone in the house." Tambo was then given a letter of dismissal, which indicated that she had been "dishonest regarding your HIV status". But Tambo says her employers never once asked her, during her probation period, about her health condition. “I did not ask to be in this position, I'm learning to live with it. But to be treated like a dog, with rabies, is really not nice," she said. Tambo has since approached the CCMA regarding her unfair dismissal.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lisalee Solomons at News24
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page