A day in the life of a condom tester

Before you wrap it up, meet the people who check it out. IRIN/PlusNews went inside the condom testing facilities of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) to see what it takes to ensure condoms really are the frontline of HIV/AIDS prevention.

17 Mar 2008

Testing officers at the South African Bureau of Standards use equipment designed by the bureau itself to ensure condoms are free from holes. (Image: Laura Lopez Gonzalez/PlusNews)

The SABS tests everything from disposable nappies (diapers) to sardines at its facility in the country's capital, Pretoria. The building itself is a maze of hallways and laboratories, decked out with all the trappings of science - white coats, glass instrument cases, beakers and microscopes.

Outside, past the expansive gardens, next to a heap of discarded equipment, lies the institution's condom testing lab - and Isabella Masemola.

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