by Hassen Lorgat
74 dead and counting
They died in a blaze
the war against the poor
The president told the nation: it was a wake-up call
Meanwhile
Jingoistic and bellicose politicians
Talk to the press about the mess
Of an “unclean” city
They wasted no time
Got into hurtful rhyme
Meanwhile
silver dressed death suits adorn the burnt-out corpses
There was no time
to mourn all the dead
children, men and women
Nor to prepare their graves
ILLEGALS,
… helped by these NGOs
The scapegoating has begun
Were the departed souls
not human?
Do they not deserve
my tears?
Has worked in trade union movement, civic associations, and anti apartheid sports movement led by the South African Council on Sports (SACOS) as well as NGOs for the past while. He has worked with civil society groups opposing harmful and exploitative mining and extractivism. Hassen is active with the SA BDS Coalition.
Latest posts by Hassen Lorgat (see all)
- *don’t throw in the towel – a side story* A-poem - January 23, 2026
- The whistle - January 15, 2026
- The Continuing Echoes of Silence-A poem - December 31, 2025