Officials to visit all old age homes
2010-08-04 20:13
Johannesburg - The department of social development will visit all old age homes across the country to inspect and enforce safety, deputy minister Bathabile Dlamini said on Wednesday.
"We cannot afford to lose lives, not even one soul. Nobody must die under our care," she said.
"We have committed to all South Africans that this government will be caring government, and that is why I am saying we will ensure all our facilities are safe for habitation."
The visit comes after 22 people elderly people died in a fire at Pieter Wessels old age home in Dunnottar, Nigel, on Sunday night.
The department of labour will be part of the visits which start on August 17.
"Words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel, this in not only a loss to the families of victims but a loss to all South Africans.
"Elderly people are the back bone of our homes and also our society.
"Losing them means that our history is being erased. Although no words can really help to ease the loss the family bear, my message to them is that they should know that they are very close to our hearts in many ways."
By Wednesday only seven bodies had been identified out of the 18 that died on the scene. Four more people died in hospital later.
The survivors had been accommodated at other old age homes in the area.
- SAPA