Benoni day-care owners are finding it difficult to make ends meet ever since the national lockdown on March 26, some of which rely heavily on the fees payments to provide for their families.
Parents cannot afford to make payments because of the absence of service, and that has left some day-care owners in desperate need for the community’s and government’s intervention to assist them during these testing times.
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/benoni-city-times/379758/assist-by-donating-to-elethu-cheshire-home/
Phumzile Mkhulisi, owner of Rise and Shine Day Care, said she was not prepared for lockdown.
I did not receive any payments month-end because of this unfortunate circumstances. It has not been easy for me because I rely on the parents’ payments to survive,” she said.
At my Rise and Shine I have employed two teachers and I have 52 children who parents have trusted me with.
I could not even pay the teachers. I think as day-care owners we also need assistance with food and disinfectants, to clean our learning centres for safer environments for when the children come back.”
For Cebisile Care Centre’s owner, Cebisile Nyathi, the situation has not only affected her but her four assistant teachers have not received their salaries either.
“As local day-care owners we have pleaded with the departments to help us with food because parents did not pay their school fees and that affects us negatively, since we rely on that money to feed our families,” she said.
The parents whose children I look after aren’t working high-paying jobs, so it is difficult for them as well because they also do not have much. We need help with food and other essentials, so that we can cater for the children and assist those parents who cannot pay,” she added.
Many local day-care centres do not have the means to survive lockdown.
ALSO READ:
Domestic violence cases increase during lockdown
”As day-care owners, we are all facing the same problem of parents refusing to pay because of this lockdown, which is understandable,” said Julia Mashego, Letlema Day Care owner.
“I have no idea how are we going to pay accounts and debts, we can barely afford enough food to last us till month-end. I also need to pay school fees for my three children. We feel neglected and we need help,” she added.
ALSO READ:
Recycle business owner seeks community assistance
