Concern as some Kanye families are headed by 10-year-olds
A Social and Community Development Officer at Kanye District Council has expressed concern over the prevalence of child-headed families, citing instances where children as young as 10 years old are responsible for leading households.
The social worker, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the cases he handles, told The Midweek Sun that young mothers frequently abandon their children in the village, leaving them with elderly caregivers under the pretence of going to seek employment.
However, the mothers often use this time to pursue relationships, returning home pregnant and without financial resources.
"There are numerous cases where the government assists grandmothers who serve as caregivers. We are planning to organise parenting seminars for young mothers to address the common challenges they face,” the social worker said.
In another traumatising case, they discovered a standard four pupil bathing an infant in winter. The child was crying so loud, but the standard four pupil did not know how to calm the tiny baby.
"We conducted a search for other family members and found them. The mother was reported to the police for leaving three young children unattended. It was later discovered that she was a nursing mother again," the social worker said.
He said their office handles numerous cases of child negligence, with some cases not even reported because parents hesitate to acknowledge that their children do abandon kids. Government officials only become aware of such situations during fieldwork.
He emphasised that the government will provide support for abandoned children and the elderly caregivers. Additionally, they will continue to assist the entire family upon the mother's return, as a measure to encourage her to stay home.
Commenting on this, Lady Keitirile from Losabanyana ward, a grandmother who is struggling with her daughter's three children, revealed that her 31-year-old child had left the responsibility of the children to her.
The daughter often sleeps outside the home for weeks, leaving Lady Keitirile with no time for herself. She feels overwhelmed as she takes on the role of mother to the three children and plans to obtain an order against her daughter so that she vacates the home.
"She takes medication for her mental health, and the police have declared her mentally-unstable. All she seems to focus on are men, she struggles to wake up in the morning to get her children ready for school. Her mental health challenges are not even too severe, but she remains stubborn," she said.
Keitirile lamented that she has lost weight due to her inability to get enough rest, as her daughter drinks alcohol excessively and is too stubborn to be controlled in the home.
Another resident, Banaka Wakwena, expressed concern about the struggles elderly people face with children in the village. She noted that this is a common observation in neighbourhoods, where some caregivers never seek assistance or report the situation.
Wakwena highlighted that young mothers often leave their children behind to seek jobs in cities, leaving the elderly to care for them. She emphasised that in many cases, these mothers return home in desperate situations.
Other concerned elders revealed that in cases where young mothers lack caregivers, they resort to feeding alcohol to their children to induce deep sleep while they go out partying.
Pastor Edward Omponye Sebitla highlighted that due to high unemployment rates, young mothers often find themselves stuck in relationships with men who do not want them. Consequently, they leave their children behind in the village to stay with these men, only to return home pregnant and stranded once again.
"We are in trouble, forced to care for our grandchildren, as these boyfriends also abandon the young women in the end," Sebitla said.
Kanye Station Commander Superintendent Mogomotsi Matlapeng expressed concern about the prevalent cases of child negligence in his area. He said so far they have recorded four cases in February alone.
"Today's youth are quick to have babies before achieving financial stability, which often leads them to leave their children with grandmothers while they search for jobs. However, they frequently disappear for extended periods," Matlapeng said.
He warned young mothers that child negligence is a crime punishable by law, and offenders can face imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year.