06 September 2001
Today we mourn 23 more victims of unsafe and hazardous living and working conditions to which millions of the poor in our country, in particular black rural women, continue being subjected to. The death of these 23 people as a result of a fire that engulfed part of the Kruger National Park yesterday has shocked the South African Communist Party (SACP). The majority of those who died are women who grass-cutters.
The SACP sends its condolences to the families of the deceased. We share the pain and anger of losing loved ones particularly in the manner it occurred in the Park yesterday.
We welcome the announcement by the Mpumalanga Province MEC for Economic Affairs, J. J. Mabena, that several tourism initiatives and funds will be dedicated to the memory of the deceased.
We call for a full investigation into the causes of the fire, existing safety measures and precautions against fire and other hazards at the Park.
Further, we call on all South Africans, in particular poor and working people, to express their practical solidarity with the deceased families by contributing to the funeral costs of the 23 people.
CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel: 011 339 3621
Fax: 011 339 4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org