WATCH: Malvern children’s home teetering on brink of closure

CATCHING up with Andile Ncamana, the director of Malvern Child and Youth Care Centre (MCYCC) isn’t easy when he is always on the run trying to keep up with all his duties.

Lately, the biggest headache he has been facing is one which is casting a shadow over the existence of the children’s home he manages, a sizeable historical debt which he only discovered the extent of when he took over as the director in November last year.

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The home, which has been a place of safety and care for over 100 children, all between the age of two and 18 years, is at risk of having to close.

Already the number of children they are able to look after has been cut to the current occupation of 85, a result of the government cutting the subsidy they provide each month towards the end of last year.

The home is facing a municipal debt which has crippled the facility and is growing each month due to interest being added to the balance due – over R100 000 per month.

Listen to him describe what is going to a Highway Mail reporter in this video:

Despite all the struggles, Ncamana said he and all the staff at the home have had no choice but to carry on as best they can.

Since taking over the running of the home he has implemented a number of cost-cutting measures, including cancelling a contract with an outside catering firm.

“We are now doing it internally and it is a lot cheaper, but generally it is too little too late,” he said.

Keeping the faith

He said every day he keeps the faith and hopes it isn’t the day that the lights get switched off.

“We have to keep praying that the municipality doesn’t come and cut the lights. We can’t put our tools down just because things aren’t going well,” he said. 

For those who, like Ncamana, who see the work they do at the children’s home as a calling, giving up isn’t an option.

Aside from the government money the home relies on donations to keep running.

“From the subsidy which is less than R3 000 per child per month, we have to pay all the salaries, the school fees, feed the children and then pay all the operating costs of the home, including trying to service the historical debt,” explained Ncamana.

“We feel as if we have been let down by the government, but we have to keep going. Also, as things get difficult there are fewer donations and while we were managing to keep up with the current payments, we are finding it is unsustainable now with the interest adding to our level of debt each month to the tune of over R100 000, which is far more than even the donations we receive each month.”

Since the news broke about the crisis midway through June, following Ncamana’s decision to go public with the story, there has been a general response from the greater Queensburgh and Highway community.

Find out how you can help by visiting the Save Malvern Children’s Home Facebook page.

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