Inkatha Freedom Party Statement By:
Dr Ruth Rabinowitz MP
IFP spokesperson on Health       

22 November 2007

Dr. Rabinowitz, the IFP spokesperson for Health, today said: 

"The Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) issue essentially boils down to one's approach to life: when does it begin, what is a soul, how do we differentiate between the sacred and the profane? 

True, life is a continuum.  There is no one moment when a foetus becomes pain sensitive or viable and science pushes back the limit daily.  Some contraception causes fertilized eggs to be bled away.  How is this different form TOP in the 1st twelve weeks?

The procedure is simple.  Misoprostil is given; it softens the cervix and begins contractions or bleeding.  The practitioner inserts a sterile syringe to suck out the foetus and scrape the womb.  It's so easy, we were assured time and again, and who wants a 12 year old girl to be saddled with a baby? 

In choosing between saving unborn babies from the pain of chemical or mechanical death, or women from the pain of backstreet abortions the choice between right and wrong is impossible to make. 

The IFP's core principles are to strengthen the family, recognise and promote the sacredness of live and protect people from harm.  We do not support the move in South Africa to TALK about morality, to let people do what they like, to protect the lives of heinous criminals or to let our children treat each other like sex toys.  This legislation entitles a girl who menstruates from whatever age, to access abortion on demand.  .  We support TOP in qualified circumstances with parental input for minors, with mandatory counselling, in facilities with emergency equipment and managed in a decentralised fashion.  This legislation does not satisfy all those criteria. 

Life is a wondrous gift.  We are the custodians who must spread that message.  Therefore we oppose this legislation which moves to trivialise life."  

For further information 
Dr. Ruth Rabinowitz 
082 579 3698