An episode I watched of Cutting Edge last night revealed the sad and most heartbreaking story I've heard in months. In the hilly and colourful village of
Ezixhotyeni, Eastern Cape, survives a strong but frail 74 year old woman uNogaya. Just
like her neighbours uNogaya doesn’t have much. There are not enough resource centers to take care of the aged and the sick.
As if that were not enough uNogaya lives with her fourteen year old
daughter uNobhefulana who at the tender age of 14 has been resigned to
spending all her days on a worn out sponge on the floor. Early in her childhood she developed sores that later led to her losing any control of her body. Although she is fourteen years old she can hardly perform functions that would be considered normal even for toddlers. She cannot speak nor can she use her hands and feet.
The two live in a single rondawel hut and are often looked after by one of their relatives, whom also struggles to live by.
uNogaya reported this matter to the community councilor who claimed that he had also reported this to the Social Services Department. Obviously nothing has been done to this point with trying to improve the lives of both uNogaya and her granddaughter uNobhefulana, whose mother passed away in 1999 when she got beaten to death by her husband. The most disgusting part of this whole story and investigation is that the Social Services minister Lulu Xingwana was interviewed and asked what she could do to help? Her uncaring response was that the Social Services Department was not a "Service Provide" ( Which I don't understand why she says that as it is actually exactly THAT) and that her only action would be providing the family with a small amount of money every month.
In this situation one can clearly tell that if they are going to be given money, they are going to need QUITE A LOT, as the disease is unknown and uNobhefulana desperately needs medical attention.
The question is: When is SOMEONE in authority going to step up, do their job and actually HELP people?
That's the ANC for us :)
