a statement on the death of Hlengiwe Khumalo

Our organisation offers its condolences to the family of Baby Hlengiwe
Khumalo who tragically lost her life this weekend. Hlengiwe and others are
condemned to a life of tragedy through government policies that by their
very nature condemn her and others like her to death. Our position is and
will always be that poverty is violence. This insidious form of violence is
being wreaked upon the most vulnerable members in our midst all in the
narrow interests of serving corporate wealth.

Cuts in social spending translate into death for Hlengiwe and others like
her and these are avoidable tragedies. The state could and should focus on

its core function which is the wellbeing of its citizens rather than the
corporatisation of social services. Our governments have begun to function
like corporations in their adoption of "margins only" approaches to the
provision of even the most basic of services. It now sees its citizens as
nothing more than clients from whom it should reap profits rather than
citizens to whom it owes and has a moral and ethical duty and obligation.
This approach is and will always be at the expense of the poor and to the
detriment society as a whole. How much must the ordinary citizen bear before
his or her voice can be heard by the powers that be. How many lives must be
lost before state consciences are pricked – how much longer must the
Hlengiwe's of this world remain the victims of this form of violence. Let
the needless death of Hlengiwe be the line that is drawn by the citizenry
between culpability and responsibility and let the government of the day
choose where it wants to stand in relation to this and other matters of
importance to the people. In the face of this to state "the people shall
govern" becomes a deadly farce and betrayal of all that the struggle
represented.

As an organisation we condemn the policies that visit needless pain on the
Hlengiwe's of the world – as fellow citizens and members of the human family
we cry with the bereaved at their loss – as a human being i say enough is
enough.
Poverty is Violence
R.Snyman
Palestine Support Committee