Redaksionele kommentaar in The Star 5/6/98: ******************** So who cares? It is incomprehensible that the plight of so many destitute people seemingly continues to be ignored by senior Gauteng health department officials. The latest report on this intolerable situation is that the 600 non-governmental organisations that distribute food parcels to half-a-million desperately needy have not received their usual funding from the department for two months. As a result, hungry people - including the elderly and pre-school children - have been turned away as the supply of parcels runs out. The excuse given is that problems have arisen in the switch-over to a new finance system. Even so, promises that cheques would be sent out last week have not been met. A member of the Alexandra Ministers' Fraternal exonerates the health department's Wits regional office, saying the blame lies higher up. We would like to know where, but our inquiries to bumbledom have been ignored. What is urgently required is the appointment of a senior official with the authority to cut through red tape and make the allocated money available immediately. Of course, that person would have to be one who cares. Regrettably, there appears to be a shortage of such candidates. ************************ 'n Pedi-kollega van my het Garsfontein toe getrek. Hy verwag dat die gegoede dele van Mamelodi en die winkels in Sunnyside die een of ander tyd geplunder gaan word deur honger mense. (Sunnyside is besig om die weg van Hillbrow te gaan - dit word 'n inner city slum en al wag besigheid en eetplek is wyk uit Hatfield toe.) Leendert