MEC brings hope to KwaThema family
KwaThema - Life has been a misery for the Bharayi family.
Nobathembu Bharayi (41) moved from the Eastern Cape to the KwaThema Hostel seven years ago in search of a job to provide for her and her family.
Bharayi is a grandmother to a two-year-old girl, Imange Bharayi, who fell ill and became disabled when she was about eight months old.
Imange, whose 21-year-old mother is still at school, has lived with Nobathembu since she was born.
Nobathembu explains that Imange suffered from seizures and was taken to hospital, where she spent a few weeks before being discharged.
“Doctors did not even explain to us what was wrong with her, and we were only told that the child had serious seizures and therefore will not be able to walk,” she says.
She hopes her granddaughter will one day be able to walk like all other children.
Following a visit to the hostel last Tuesday by Gauteng Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko, Nobathembu says she sees light in her life.
The MEC was in the area to talk with residents about the challenges they face.
Nobathembu says she has been struggling to apply for a Care Dependency Grant for Imange, and the MEC offered to assist with this.
She is hoping to be able to successfully apply on July 2 when she goes to the KwaThema offices of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).
The MEC’s visit also gave Nobathembu hope that Imange will soon be admitted into an institution where she will receive help, and hopefully be able to walk.
“Because of my granddaughter’s situation, I can not go out to look for a job as I need to always be available to look after her,” says Nobathembu.
She says the Child Support Grant the family receives every month is not enough to pay someone to look after Imange while she goes out and looks for a job.
“I believe the misery will soon be over when we receive the Care Dependency Grant,” adds Nobathembu.
