15 May 2016

Assistant minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso has urged men to  take care of their children.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Khakhea recently, Ms Tshireletso noted that government was currently assisting a total of 34 000 orphans under social grant. 

She noted that some of the children were registered as orphans even though their fathers were still alive.

She said such failure by some men to take responsibility for their children added unnecessary burden to government and had adverse effects on the state coffers.

“Even the Children’s Act of 2009 states that a child should be cared for by both parents, so we do not expect children to become orphans when the other parent is alive,” she said.

The assistant minister further urged women to desist from using the child to address relationship issues with their fathers. 

She said she was aware that some women denied fathers the opportunity to see their children as a way of settling scores for sour relationships.

Such behaviour, she said was uncalled for since children needed optimal care and support from both parents. 

Again, she highlighted that children had the right to know both their parents irrespective of their social standing.

Further, Ms Tshireletso called on relatives to play their role in the upbringing of children who did not have parents. 

She said the fact that their parents were no more should not make them feel left out. 

She said if the extended family could rise up to the occasion that would reduce the number of orphans receiving government assistance.

Ms Tshireletso further expressed disappointment at relatives who misused orphans’ food baskets yet they were failing on raising such children. 

She further urged guardians and social workers to work together to ensure that children who were being assisted with school uniform benefitted accordingly and on time. 

That, she said would go a long way in promoting government’s intention to give such children some dignity so that they did not feel different from their peers at school.

One resident, Ms Mamaki Lekgoa shared the sentiments on men who did not want to take the responsibility to take care of their children. 

Ms Lekgoa, however commended government for taking it upon itself to help such children with all that was necessary until they would be able to take care of themselves.

However, she expressed concern about women who left their children with their grandparents without any support. 

She said such people should be brought to book because most of the time grandparents did not have the means to take care of children.

Another resident, Mr Kebuile Keroketswe commended the assistant minister for also raising concern about women who denied men their rights and responsibilities as far as their children were concerned. 

“Sometimes women denied men access to their children only because such men were not well-off and this should be condemned at all costs because they were still fathers regardless of their financial standing,” Mr Keroketswe said. ENDS