VOICES OF THE INVlSmLE
6.5 Thando: Days are Always Dark for Me
6.6.1 Analysis of Thobile's Story
Family Background and Culture
She perceives the separation of her parents as a cause of her working from early in life. Though her father was also working, he was not preparedto support them when they were staying with their mother. As her mother wasworking, she had to remain at home and take care of the baby. Thobile, who eventually got a chance to stay with her father, was devastated by his death. He was not poor and supported her. He freed her from working for three years. Whenhe passed away, she had to go back to work. Later on she became a single motherherself and it became imperative for her to work. She has to provide for her own son whose father is irresponsible.
She blames her mother for discriminating against her, thus turning her into a family slave. Even when bad things happened to her like rape, her mother was only interested in the money for damages. She did not give herany support during such a painful period of her life. Her mother chased her awayfrom home and this resulted in Thobile working for her friend's sister. When they returned from KwaNdabele, she had a problem with her school fees while her mother paid for her sister. She reached a point where she questioned whether this woman she
called mother was her real mother. Though her mother is poor, her ill-treatment of Thobile is unforgivable. She believes that this discrimination stemmed from some family secret, which led to the separation of her parents. Itis not clear whether it is this discrimination, which resulted in her being sexually active very early in life. Falling pregnant in this day and age and continuing to sleep with another man signals people's ignorance on issues of HIV/AIDS. The perception by some communities leaves much to be desired. The following statement highlights this:
Unfortunately she passed away having contracted Aids. I was very frustrated by this. I was left with a number ofquestions. I knew my friend well. She was a one-man girl andfor her to die such a shameful death disturbed me.
Work Activities
She started working as a child-minder as a means of relieving her mother who was working as a sleep-in domestic worker. She was 6-years-old when she was left with the child. She did everything for this child. In fact she was like a mother to her baby brother. Thobile remained at home while others went to school. She did all household work with the child on her back. She had a break of 3 years when she stayed with her father. After his death, she resumed her work and this time she was like a slave.
She had to take care of 3 young children and do household work. She walked long distances to their different schools. She worked before and after school. Her mother and 2 sisters were working and therefore did not participate in domestic work. On top of this she was sent on errands even at night and this resulted in her being raped one evening. Even in Grade 11 she is still doing all her chores but has supplemented her work by minding her third sister's child. She is paid RIOO a month. This money is used to buy sweets, which she sells at school. She runs around between schools and wholesales sweets during school hours. She aims at selling at least two packets a day. The profits so far are R3 a packet that makes it possible for her to buy bread.
Academic Performance
Thobile started school 2 years later at the age of 9. Although she was embarrassed by the fact that she was older than her classmates, her academic performance made her father proud. After returning to her mother she knew that her academic performance was never going to be the same. She was not given any time to study. As she put it: "During school days I only get time for my work after ten in the evening ".
She was always late and tired at school. She failed to do any schoolwork at home.
Her academic performance dropped. She became an average child getting class positions from 13 and up. No one at home seemed to care about her school performance. This period was followed by many disturbances in her education.
She dropped out of school because of her pregnancy. She returned after 2 years with financial help from her sister. Her academic performance was better than the last time she was at school. She came first in Grade 10 and 11. Thobile is convinced that this is still not her maximum performance. There is no space for her to study at home as they are living in a 2-roomed house. She needs to work very hard during school hours to get good results.
Hunger is also cited as one of the causes for not performing up to her potential.
This is more so because during the last period she does not concentrate as she thinks of what to give the children at home. In Grade 12 she experienced problems. It was not possible for her to attend all holidays and Saturday classes.
When all Grade 12 parents were invited to school, her mother did not come. Her Grade 12 results were a bit disappointing. She got a school-leaving certificate with below average symbols.
6., SUMMATIVE ANALYSIS
6.,.I Family and Cultural Background
These learners have been separated from their biological parents at an early stage of their lives. They had to work for themselves for survival. They have been changing homes. Both relatives and strangers have chased these learners away a number of times. Their biological parents have been irresponsible and their own mothers have neglected these learners. 4 of the 5 learners blame their mothers for what happened to them. They have negative feelings towards their mothers.
Grandparents played a very important part in their lives. They helped financially with their pension grants and provided other forms of support. Unfortunately both of HIe's grandmothers did not treat her well. Both HIe and Thobile had strangers who acted as their grandmothers and they had to call them so. Even though these learners struggle to survive, their families kept on increasing as more and more babies were born. They are all from big families of more than 3 siblings each.
Their families are headed by women i.e. their mothers. Learners in their stories had branded these women cruel, negligent, irresponsible, and discriminating, as well as being lazy.
Though these learners' conditions can be linked to poverty, family instability, unemployment and irresponsible parents, culture and cultural beliefs also played a part in their lives. Mandlakhe blamed his father for having more than one wife, which resulted in him failing to take care of his children. Conflicts and rivalry experienced in his family is not conducive to proper raising of children.
Mandlakhe is very bitter about the fact that his mother had to pay a penalty for visiting her own mother. Children tend to know too much about the relationship of their parents. How Mandlakhe explained her mother's turn to be visited by the father proves this. Sipho on the other hand was given to relatives to be raised because he was born out of wedlock by a widow. He was hidden from the family of the late husband. He had to work for himself while his brothers and a sister
were well taken care of. HIe's parents were not married to each other when her father passed away. The fact that he paid for damages for making her mother pregnant gave the mother an excuse for dumping her with her paternal relatives.
The struggle to make ends meet by Thando's grandparents resulted in her sister being married while very young. Cows paid by the groom helped with milk and they were also used in fields. Lastly, when Thobile was raped, her mother was only interested in damages for loss of her virginity. Her action resulted in Thobile lying about the father of her baby some years later.
As is the case with many Africans, traditional healers and sangomas play a part in these learners' lives. When Mandlakhe contracted TB, his father took him to a sangoma. According to the sangoma's findings, he had idliso (TB). This was the deed of jealous relatives. Though he was given muti23 to cure this, he ended up going to the clinic as his condition deteriorated. Sipho had isichith024,which was the cause of him being chased away by the Khumalos. He had to undergo treatment by a sangoma, which, according to him, was successful. Information provided by HIe's mother was that she was taken by an inyanga who is believed to be able to cure HIV/AIDS. Her own mother believed that her daughter would be cured. As Thando's story indicates, she claims to have had bad luck in her life.
Her aunt took her to a sangoma long after the abortion. The sangoma claimed that the family was supposed to cleanse her after the death of her baby. The baby she got rid of was causing problems for her. She raised money for the traditional ritual, which took place at her aunt's house.
6.'.2 Educational Needs
All 5 learners had to work for their education. They work to pay school fees, purchase uniforms, food, and shelter. Some learners are not paid any money but
23 Traditional medicine 24 Traditional name for poison
their employers take care of all their school needs. Those who work for salaries earn very meagre wages, which in most cases results in failing to pay their school fees in full. At times their employers fail to pay their school fees. This results in learners being chased away from school by unsympathetic educators. These learners have been overloaded with work to such an extent that they do not have time to devote to their schoolwork. Working learners need to study and do homework, but this is impossible. 4 of the 5 learners reside in informal settlements like Siyanda and Richmond farm. Houses in these settlements are one or two rooms. There is no space to do school work. All their extra time is consumed by economic activities.
The attitude of some family members towards school and overcrowding hinders learners from attending to their schoolwork. Thando's aunt always reminds her that it was enough for Thando to be able to only write. Her continuation with schooling is not her business. She is an example of an indifferent relative. Also, for HIe's mother to force her to sell alcohol in the same room where she is supposed to sleep until very late at night highlights the lack of space to do school work. On top of all these problems some learners take care of school needs for their siblings. These learners feel that no one in their lives has ever genuinely taken an interest in their education.
Finally one of the educational needs relates to sport and recreation. This is hampered by the school's failure to plan properly. Sipho and Thando are actively involved in sport, which usually takes place during school hours. This means no selling and other teachers continue to teach which put these learners at a disadvantage. At times sports practice drags on until late in the afternoon forcing learners to abandon their after-school economic activities.