Elandskraal, Residential Care Center
Officially supported by DFL: 18 This place is run by Thoko Khuzwayo
who is about 60 years old
and loves children very much. The children came to know her as the one who never
turns them away when they were in need. With the violence in that area (parents
are killed) and the AIDS epidemic, she has gathered a full house. We will shortly
relate a bit about a few of the children in this home:
Thandile and Siphosihle Sikakane, were 4 and 2 years respectively.
Within a short time they lost their Grandmother, who was shot and their mother
who became ill and died. We then heard that their father, who seems to have
a problem and is unemployed, feeds them on sour milk, which neighbours give
him, mixed with home brewed beer. We went to investigate, finding that the
two were miserable and with only a few rags covering their bodies. When we
asked their father whether we should take the children and bring them up,
he agreed, so we took them along. Thandile is now seven years old and a very
diligent little girl. She is almost over diligent, cleaning the house on her
own. Some days ago she was given her own toothbrush and toothpaste, paid out
by Doctors for Life funds. Siphosihle was so sad that he did not yet have
his own, that the tears just ran. .
Thobisani and Sizwe Sabela, - 10 and 11 years old have a Christian
grandmother; she is however in poor health and can hardly walk. Their father
died about a year ago. At about that time their mother also became ill. She
then asked the Christians from Kwa Magoso to come and pray for her, she also
made a personal decision to become a believer. Soon thereafter she passed
away. As there was nothing in her house, (money, food, etc.). The Christians
collected funds to bury her. After the funeral to which most of the Congregation
had come on foot, these two boys followed the Christians. When they were asked
what they were going to do, they replied that they were too small to stay
alone and their grandmother was too ill to look after them. They are now able
to continue at school, and already look better after only a few weeks. .
Bhekithemba and Sipho Sibiya, Their surname should be Mkhize
after their father. Their parents were originally from this area but they
moved to live on the coast about 250km from here. When the parents became
ill the mother came home to stay with her parents who were Christians. Within
a relatively short time the mother as well as the ageing grandparents passed
away. The Mkhize families had moved to another area and were not interested
to take these children so they were registered as Sibiya. They now stayed
with an Aunt who is herself unemployed and are dependent on whatever gifts
they are given. (That the Mkhize family is not interested in the children,
has to do with their tradition, probably also superstition, seeing that their
son became ill and died). Before their mother died, she became a Christian,
confessing and apologizing to people where she had done wrong. .
