“The number of deaths registered in 2008 jumped to 756,000, up from 573,000 the year before. At this rate, there is a real danger that the number of deaths will soon overtake the number of births.”

Whilst I acknowledge AIDS is a terrible disease that no-one should have to endure, why would it be the worst thing if South Africa experienced a negative growth rate in population? As it is we do not have enough jobs for everyone, and every day more refugees are crossing our borders illegally. We cannot manage the numbers as it is. Surely having fewer babies arriving every year would be a good thing?

It might sound a little crass and is certainly politically incorrect to say all this but am I wrong in thinking there are too many people screwing up the planet as it is? 6.5billion is kinda like overkill – i think at this point we have established ourselves as the dominant species and so we should rather be concentrating on preserving what we have than making more people in case deaths overtake births in numbers!