Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said on Wednesday that the MEC for Social Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, must be held accountable for the death of the six-month-old baby girl at the non-governmental welfare care centre. Singalakha Sonamazi died on Tuesday.
The baby girl had been moved from Walter Sisulu Child and Youth Care Centre in Soweto to Bethany Trust Home, a charity home in Krugersdorp, because of the ongoing strike by social workers. Members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), who are employed by the Department of Social Development, are on strike across the country.
They are demanding, among other things, the introduction of a rural allowance and the "absorption" of unemployed social workers on a permanent basis.
DA Gauteng spokesperson for social development, Refiloe Nt'sekhe, said baby Sonamazi's death in the wake of the strike spoke volumes to the lack of concern that government had for those that were at the mercy of its care.
"Mayathula-Khoza must shoulder the blame for this death, as it is her responsibility to ensure that contingency measures are put in place during a period of dispute by workers," Nt'sekhe said.
"She must take decisive action to ensure that there are no more fatalities during the strike by social development workers."
Sonamazi and her three older siblings were moved on Friday in a group of 12 children transferred to Bethany after striking social workers barricaded entrances to the care centre. The striking workers move denied access for medical supplies and food for vulnerable children, orphans, the elderly and disabled people.
The four siblings had been initially placed at Walter Sisulu Child and Youth Care Centre on 31 January pending the finalisation of the enquiry by the Westonaria Children’s Court into their home environment.
Nt'sekhe passed on her party's condolences to the Sonamazi family, saying that they had lost their child in a similar manner to those who lost loved ones during the Esidimeni tragedy.
Nt'sekhe said the DA would question the Mayathula-Khoza to understand how this tragedy was allowed to take place and what measures have been put in place to ensure that an incident such as this never takes place again.
Mayathula-Khoza said even though Sonamazi was diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and had low birth weight, it was still unclear what had caused her death. Mayathula-Khoza, a former maths and science teacher, is a member of the African National Congress (ANC).
Recently it was revealed that as many as 100 psychiatric patients died after Gauteng Department of Health moved them from Life Esidimeni private hospital to unregistered NGOs in a bid to cut costs.