OPINION | Our children are used as a sacrifice in order to maintain relations with other countries

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In the wake of children dying from poisonous food, Save SA Civic Movement’s Tebogo Mashilompane says they are used as a sacrifice to maintain relations with other countries.

Save South Africa Civic Movement called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency on crime and illegalities and a letter was further sent to the private office of the President, then the office responded by saying all is under control because ‘operation shanyela ‘ is activated.

Our call was, made following uncontrollable crime including murder, extortion, rape and illicit goods.

The state of emergency was going to address anything illegal, anything crime, including murder and attempted murder on our children by Spaza Shop owners working in cohort with organized criminal syndicates.

As many have also came forward to say the deaths of children due to eating from Spaza shops is not a coincidence, we share similar sentiments. The poisoning of consumables is a deliberate move by those who are tasked to murder our children, and society at, large.

However, we are, deeply perturbed by the silence of the President and the Presidency in general. Our shock emanates from the fact that children are dying and some are, hospitalized almost daily, but the President who is the number one protector decides to keep quiet and continue to attend issues in other countries as if we do not have our own crises in South Africa.

For the past two months, there have been demonstrations against the Spaza Shop owners still, that does not shake the office of the President.

As Save SA we are now worried at the conduct of the President. We are not here to disrespect Mr Ramaphosa as the President but we are concerned at his lack of action attitude especially when children are dying in numbers while others remain hospitalized.

Innocent Children sacrificed to maintain relations

As the Movement, we are of the view that the government is scared to temper with other countries but rather sacrifice innocent children in order to maintain relations.

What benefits the soul when innocent children are dying in numbers while you are in a position of power but doing nothing about that power?

Save South Africa proposes three immediate measures while long-term solution is, sought by the government:

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[1] The President must declare that All Spaza shops owned by Pakistanis, Ethiopians, Somalis etc must close immediately and in the meantime, the Ministry of Small Business Development must enter into an MOU with registered and complying retail businesses to have mobile shops or rent Spaza shops while a permanent solution is, sought.

[2] The Ministry of Home Affairs must cancel asylums of those who were, found to be on the wrong when coming to Spaza shops. Further, suspend the issuing of asylum to affected countries until further notice.

[3] Train unemployed graduates as food inspectors across the country. These inspectors will also inspect meals served to the children at schools.

Lastly, we call on the President to establish a Ministry dedicated specifically to the children. In addition, merge other Ministries while removing the role of the second Deputy ministers, because in all fairness, the Deputy Ministers are just a wasteful exercise.

Written by: Tebogo Shilos Mashilompane (National Communications Director at Save South Africa Civic Movement)

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