| Dianne Lang is more than a story to me. She is a | | | | Who are her kids? They are the forgotten ones, |
| friend. A real life hero, Joan of Arc if you will, who | | | | those abandoned black street orphans the |
| has had to run for her life from her beloved country | | | | government didn't have a program for. |
| of South Africa. | | | | Dianne would look for them down at 'restaurant' aka |
| A fifth generation South African, card carrying | | | | the local Garbage Dump to most of polite society |
| member of the ANC, this white woman, rebel angel, | | | | and bring them home to socialize, educate, look after |
| made it her mission to save Mandela's forgotten | | | | their health and give them as much LOVE as possible. |
| children. The ones who live on the streets because | | | | She wanted to give them hope. |
| their parents have died from AIDS, and other such | | | | However, she is alone in her efforts. The |
| diseases. | | | | Government does not recognize these children |
| Dianne Lang is fighting a battle for survival right now | | | | because they were not issued birth certificates. |
| though, this time it's her own. She has been targeted | | | | Without papers they don't exist, and since they don't |
| for death. No she is not on Death Row, (nothing | | | | exist, there is no funding, medicine or assistance |
| quite so legal) but she might as well be, as she now | | | | available to provide to them or their caregivers. A |
| lives in mortal fear from the South African law | | | | small technicality it would seem since they do exist, |
| makers and those paid to uphold the law, their special | | | | and their numbers can be physically accounted for. |
| police force called the Scorpions. What is it Hollywood | | | | Dianne Lang fights valiantly for retro- antiviral |
| coined this? Oh yes, Extreme prejudice | | | | medication, yet receives news that there is NONE |
| Why would they do this? Obviously she did | | | | available for South Africans, it is necessary for |
| something wrong, right? | | | | export, besides they are 'bad' for SA's anyway. Beet |
| Well the truth is they are afraid of Dianne, because | | | | juice and lemon is the way to go. This is the personal |
| they fear what she has uncovered and that one day, | | | | recipe given out by the Minister of Health, who by |
| the truth will come out about their years of neglect, | | | | the way, put herself at the top of the list for a Liver |
| corruption and liberal abuse of power. One day soon, | | | | Transplant last year, and now glows with good |
| someone with enough power to stop them, will | | | | health. |
| believe Dianne and the good life will come to an end. | | | | Does Dianne and her children, her community have |
| So in order to preserve their lifestyle, they have told | | | | HIV or AIDS? Dianne has been tested and does not, |
| her to watch herself, for they are gunning for her. | | | | however most of the good folks of Middelburg |
| Dianne finally takes their threats seriously. After | | | | decided against being tested for HIV, for it would |
| having her best friend killed, being beaten, having | | | | serve no purpose to know if they are not, other |
| shots fired at her, her car tampered with and her | | | | than to stress them out. They know that they will |
| computers wiped clean of records and trashed, she | | | | either live or die one day, and since medication is not |
| knows first hand what the police can and will do, to | | | | available to them, they would rather not know. |
| stop her. | | | | Selenium, an inexpensive mineral that seems to |
| For years, Dianne has been trying to protect and | | | | significantly improve the condition of an HIV infected |
| uphold the laws that are supposedly in place to | | | | patient (Dianne and kids all take it) is prohibitively |
| protect children under 18, or so its says in the South | | | | expensive to South Africans. Most cannot afford the |
| African Constitution. She has fought tirelessly but to | | | | hefty price tag of R17.60 for a pound. |
| no avail. | | | | It's such a shame that the Government seems to be |
| For years, Dianne has fought to get antiretroviral | | | | permanently out of money for things like powdered |
| drugs for her children and her community who are | | | | milk, selenium, antiretroviral drugs.. etc. Heck, they |
| HIV positive and dying from AIDS, with no avail. | | | | won't even provide free lemon juice and beetroot. |
| For years, Dianne tried to get justice for a tiny voice, | | | | HIV positive mothers are forced to infect their |
| a voice that was silenced much too soon, her little life | | | | newborns by breastfeeding. |
| snuffed out just days short of her reaching 4 | | | | THIS is what Dianne Fights for. Basic Human Rights! |
| months old, by a policeman who raped her, killed her | | | | The right for children to be safe against rape and |
| and discarded her like garbage. | | | | violence from their caregivers. The right for a child to |
| Dianne has vowed that as long as she still lives and | | | | grow up in a steady and loving environment, to go to |
| breathe, she will continue to fight against child abuse, | | | | school, receive medication and healthcare and to hold |
| corruption within her beloved South African | | | | a vision for a future that has potential instead of the |
| government, and the rights of those children who | | | | continuous death card being dealt to them every |
| she personally has supported, educated and loved for | | | | single day. |
| many years, her own children. All 42 of them. | | | | |