Excessive safeguards
WHILE I abhor smoking, there are enough safeguards already in place to protect non-smokers in public places. The proposed further curb by Minister Motsoaledi represents yet another infringement of rights by an increasingly authoritarian government (TIOS, November 11).
There are many more pressing health issues the minister should be addressing, including the escalation of lifestyle-related diseases. Diabetes, for example, is reportedly a leading killer of South African women. This trend is common in societies marked by a rapid switch to a “western” diet, especially the increased reliance on over-salted convenience food. The department could be doing more to educate the public about diet because statistics suggest that countries with long standing campaigns, warning of the dangers of excessive salt intake, have succeeded in reducing blood pressure related deaths.
Of course this renewed focus on smoking diverts attention from extremely serious health problems, such as the government’s failure to provide decent living conditions which would militate against the spread of TB.
Nor, despite the instructions given by the Human Rights Commission months ago, have the Addington radiotherapy machines been repaired. This long-standing saga is mired in corruption and, as a result, countless cancer victims have died, and will continue to die. In terms of the Constitution, the national minister shares the blame with the provincial MEC (Health is a concurrent jurisdiction), as do members of the Provincial Executive.