JOHANNESBURG — Some condoms burst. Others leaked like sieves. South Africa’s leading anti-AIDS group said Tuesday that reportedly faulty condoms were among more than 1.35 million handed out at the African National Congress’ 100th birthday party in early January.
Health officials confirmed all of those condoms have been recalled. But the Treatment Action Campaign said attendees weren’t warned that they might have left with defective condoms, which could now cause them to unsuspectingly spread or contract HIV. South Africa has the world’s highest number of AIDS patients, about 5.6 million.
The third condom recall in less than five years raises questions about the quality of some of the 425 million-plus condoms that the government gives away each year and the competence of the South African Bureau of Standards that is supposed to ensure their quality is up to international standards.
AIDS activist Sello Mokhalipi of the Treatment Action Campaign said he complained to the health department after “we had people flocking in, coming to report that the condoms had burst while they were having sex.”
Some were panicking because they were infected with AIDS and concerned for their partners, he said.
Spokesman Jabu Mbalula of the Free State provincial health department, which distributed the condoms before the Jan. 6-8 celebrations, said it had recalled the entire batch of 1.35 million condoms around Jan. 18. He said there was no need for a panic, but he was unable to say how many of the condoms were used or have been recovered.
