On Saturday, 2 August 2014, the Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature, Hon Susanna Tsebe, has pledged to ensure the My Home Hospice Centre situated in Mogwase near Rustenburg is registered with the Department of Social Development.
She said this during her visit to the orphanage centre as part of celebrating her 43rd birthday on Saturday. She grew up at Chaneng, a small developing village situated in Rustenburg, raising from the harsh reality of poverty and homelessness and decided to give back to the community. The Speaker also donated blankets, winter coats and jackets to the children at the orphanage to cater for the winter days.
Some of the challenges raised by the house mother and founder of My Home Hospice Centre, Ms Mama Lorette Erasmus, included non-registration of the centre. The centre is currently facing a threat of closure because it is not registered with the Department of Social Development.
“Since 2010, I’ve been trying to register the foster home according to the new legislation but the department has sent her from pillar to post.
“The department is not financially supporting us yet they bring children mostly dumped by mothers in the bushes, hospitals and some are HIV/AIDS positive. I’ve dedicated 40 years of my life taking care of homeless children solely out of my own expense,” said Ms Erasmus.
She and her husband, who currently works in India to find resources to support her big family, established the centre in 2005.
“I am so distraught and devastated by the treatment and lack of support I have been receiving from the department and it hurts to see the amount of hate and arrogance I have encountered with some officials from the Department of Social Development.
“I have dedicated all my life to take care and love my children without any real support from them, as a white person growing up in an environment full of hate under the apartheid regime, my relatives, brothers have shunned and distanced themselves from me because of the love I have for my children despite their diversity.
“I am tired of running behind them to apply for grants without any results. I even had to bury my other two children who died of AIDS without their presence or care, and only to receive news that they will take my children away,” cried Ms Erasmus.
Hon. Tsebe heard the cry and plea of Ms. Erasmus. She vowed that as the Speaker of the North West Legislature, part of her mandate is to perform oversight through the Portfolio Committees to ensure that the legislated services of government departments reach the community.
“I will discuss this matter with the MEC for the Department of Social Development, Fenny Gaolaolwe, and ensure the centre is properly facilitated according to legislation and hold all those responsible for not bringing services to our people to be held accountable for misconduct.
“We are responsible to ensure that we create a better life for all, we cannot be the ones that allow our communities to suffer unnecessarily, compromising the future and wellbeing of our children who are our future leaders.”
“I am humbled to see such humility and unity here, whereas in many orphanages such is non-existent,” said Hon. Tsebe.
Enquiries:
Namhla Luhabe
North West Provincial Legislature: Media & Communications Unit
Cell: 079 527 0628
