Children only need parental love, affirmation and recognition to make them caring parents to their own offsprings.
Alex’s leading philanthropist Linda Twala stressed this after the recent funeral of four children who perished in an early-morning shack fire while their two mothers said to be related were at a tavern. Some media claim that this was despite warnings from some of their relatives.
The two women will appear at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court on 28 September, charged with negligence and culpable homicide. A fifth 14-year-old child managed to escape and is receiving trauma counselling.
The Alexandra Magistrates’ Court denied the two mothers temporary release resulting in relatives and residents burying the children, supported by government and the City council.
The incident drew mixed reactions, initially of anger which later dissipated when impassioned pleas for their forgiveness were made on the strength of their characters.
A teacher and neighbour revealed their love for the deceased children pleading bad judgment on their part.
Minister of Social Development Nandi Mayathula who wept and blamed them, retracted her statement and also accepted their plea for forgiveness.
Seemingly life has now gone back to ‘normal’ in the township after the incident which occurred five months after another woman, also remanded in custody and awaiting bail application, torched a shack in Marlboro killing two children and their two relatives. The fire, which was petrol-driven, also destroyed neighbours’ shacks resulting in heavy loss of property – luckily with no loss of life. Both incidents have been left with the court to solve and again, life will be expected to go back to ‘normal’ afterwards.
Twala expressed concern about this to Alex News. “The fires should be a lesson seeking answers from residents before they recur. “Children are the greatest and only treasure to a mother and a caring father and should not be left alone in whatever circumstance.
“We should be more loving of all children in keeping with the adage: It takes a village to raise a child.”
Without wanting to place blame on the accused, he said they should have sought a carer in keeping with the adage. Also, he supported pleas for them to be forgiven based on the children’s pictures which he said showed that they looked clean and cared for. “However, it doesn’t exonerate them from appearing in court, in keeping with the Constitution’s demand for proper parental care and support.”
Twala also supported the court denying their release for their own safety, despite his attempt through affidavits guaranteeing their safety saying the papers were submitted at short notice.
He further urged parents, particularly of girls, to be extra vigilant. “They should not send them alone to shops as a precaution against human trafficking until the courts apply harsh sentencing on predators.”
Twala will be in court to ascertain the accused’s remorse.
