Artists disgusted with unrelenting child abuse
ALEXANDRA - Emotions of anger, revulsion and sadness were expressed by a music and media personality when recounting the effects of reported incidents of rape, molestation, neglect and domestic abuse on children.
Emotions of anger, revulsion and sadness were expressed by music and media personality Kedebone Mkhabela when recounting the effects of reported incidents of rape, molestation, neglect and domestic abuse of children.
Mkhabela expressed these thoughts while volunteering at non-profit organisation Uncedo Lwabantu which feeds underprivileged children. This forms part of musician Nkiyase Mondlana’s programme to help rebrand and improve the image of Alex in a bid to attract tourists and other support to the township.
Mkhabela said her concerns reflected the moral decay in society, which needed to be reversed and corrected. She said every right-minded person should be heartbroken, ashamed and saddened by the violation of children, which profiled the country to the world as uncaring and rotten.
“Children have lost trust in elderly people who they look up to for care, support and protection starting from the home,” she said.
“Their abuse reflects society’s failure to groom them for the future and violates their human rights at a time when, in particular, the homeless and those in child- and granny-headed households expected love to enable them to grow into useful citizens of the country.”
Instead, she said, the sexual abuse some children were subjected to leaves them scarred for life.
Maletsatsi Mokoena of Alex FM radio, who was also volunteering, urged society to be more caring of poor and vulnerable children. She said these children were preyed upon by perverts who exploited their vulnerability through material promises in exchange for sexual favours.
She commended Mondlana’s programme as a platform to be emulated as it encouraged support for vulnerable people in Alex. “Celebrities can help restore love to the children through food provision, helping to inspire them… and to restore pride in themselves,” she said.
Mokoena urged other celebrities and prominent individuals visiting Alex to spend their time productively by assisting those in need.
