And while this Cabinet members can freestyle and appeal to Populist sentiment on the tragic death of a small child, the Minister of Human Development has to be much more cautious. Her ministry had the duty of care for the child - and many would argue that it shares the responsibility for the death.
She sat down with us today to discuss and share details as to how her ministry will proceed with the foster system following this tragedy. She expressed her ministry's grief and justified the screening for the Plett couple which had custody of the child for two months before her death:
Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"We are viewing it with the greatest of regret. I'm the greatest of bereavement if you can put it that way I think we are all bereaved within our ministry you know. Let me begin by saying that so many children have gone into foster care in this country so many foster parents, so many families have opened their homes and their hearts two children in need I see you have the little brochure that says give your heart to a child, you know so I think we are shocked and horrified as the rest of the nation that something as serious as this could have happened. We are very very bereaved and saddened at what has happened."
"I must tell you that when the screening was done, at least to my knowledge, in terms of what I have been briefed on, there were no red flags whatsoever in terms of the placement. It was sort of an emergency placement in what I have been briefed that took place in September, and we do know that many members of the Mennonite community have opened their homes to children who need foster care now I just had a conversation just maybe about an hour ago or so about whether it may be good for the ministry to consider placing children in what you might call culturally environments you know. But please, this is not a criticism whatsoever from me of the members of the Mennonite community who have successfully fostered children."
