Roodepoort’s poorest of the poor
Her wish for her 17-year-old daughter, who is in a private school in Roodepoort, is to finish her matric and find a job to help them with their daily struggle.
The Record joined Community Led Animal Welfare’s (Claw) Cora Bailey and Taren Welhagen to visit the poorest of the poor in Durban Deep.
Our first stop was at Monica Harawa’s home. She sat next to a fire in a makeshift gazebo to keep the cold out. Crippled by polio, Monica has to crawl if she needs the bathroom or go inside their home in a garage. Her wish for her 17-year-old daughter, who is in a private school in Roodepoort, is to finish her matric and find a job to help them with their daily struggle.
According to Monica, who comes from Malawi, their permanent residence application has not been finalised, which means that their daughter will not be able to obtain her matric certificate. She also cannot be accepted into any other school because of this.
“Sometimes we must choose between paying school fees and buying food. We are currently R1 500 behind and the school is now threatening to expel my child,” Monica said with a brave smile.
“I look after two babies for an additional income and my husband earns only R400 per week.”
The next stop was at the old mine building, where 64-year-old Eliot Mdluli, originally from Empangeni, lives. He sleeps on a concrete floor without any mattress, blankets or pillow to keep the cold out. His meager belongings are neatly packed in one corner.
He greeted Cora with a big smile and said that after she donated a blanket he is sleeping much better.
Although the Record had very little to give, some food and clothes that were donated were given to them.
The Record and Claw are appealing to the community to donate non-perishable food, warm clothes and blankets to make life a little easier for them. “Every little bit helps, and the community is very grateful for everything they get,” Cora said.
For more information, call Cora at Claw, on 076 850 4466 or the Record’s editor, Roelien Vorster, on 011 955 1130.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
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