OUR STRUGGLE IS VERY REAL

This Alex man shares how the lockdown has deepened his despair of trying to feed his wife and nine children

- DUENNA MAMBANA

HE GOES to bed every night with a single worry eating at his mind: what will they feed the children tomorrow? Before the country went into lockdown, Bongukuphiwa Khuzwayo put food on the table doing odd jobs.

“This has stopped because we are restricted from moving around,” he tells DRUM.

“We have to stay at home and as much as I understand why, I struggle to be okay with it when I look at my children.”

Bongukuphiwa (44) and his wife of 11 years, Snegugu Thabethe (34), have nine children. The unemployed couple rely on whatever he makes, along with children’s support grants, for survival.

When schools are in session, there is slight relief because some of the kids, who are in Grades 10, 7, 6, 3 and 1, can get lunch provided by feeding schemes.

“But this doesn’t happen all the time as some of them are shy to stand in the feeding-scheme queues.”

Snegugu tells us she has been judged and called names for the number of children they have and even though they’re struggling, she has no regrets.

“I love my children – they are God’s gifts to us.”

South African households were battling a sluggish economy and shocking unemployment rates even before Covid-19 hit the country.

To help citizens cope with the enormous financial burden caused by the coronavirus crisis, President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced child support grants would be increased over the next six months.

While Bongukuphiwa welcomes the relief, he knows he must find a lasting solution.