So a high-ranking government official in Mpumalanga is facing a charge of attempted murder for knowingly infecting his partner with HIV.

So a high-ranking government official in Mpumalanga is facing a charge of attempted murder for knowingly infecting his partner with HIV.

Serves him right, would be the common-sense response. But dig a little deeper and you will soon see how difficult it has been to prove these cases beyond a reasonable doubt.

First off, HIV is a slippery customer and sex is a messy business. So even so-called protected sex only improves your chances of evading infection.

Then let's say you have regular Aids tests and believe you know your status. Well, most tests check for the presence of an antibody to the virus and these can take months to show up in your body.

And guess when HIV is most infectious? A recent study found that 40percent of infections happen in this so-called window period.

Lawyers will do their damnedest to cast doubt on a defendant's culpability and will rake up your sexual history back to the year dot. So you can't rely on the courts to cover your butt.

Antiretrovirals might prolong your life once infected, but never forget that Aids kills. Know your status and that of your partner. But always protect yourself, even if you think you are in a monogamous relationship.

With the incidence of HIV infection in our country, it is a simple arithmetic truth: sleep around and you will become another statistic.