Lusikisiki — Life is tough for Mazitha Ngutyani, a 56-year-old grandmother living in Mcobothini village with her three grandchildren – of which two are disabled.

The children’s mother lives in Durban where she’s trying to find work, and there is no one to help this grandmother wash, cook, clean and care for these three children – who are 16-, 11-three-years-old respectively.

Although Ngutyani receives a social grant for two of the children, it is not near enough to cover the family’s expenses. The children have special needs that the social grant does not make provision for, for example, the 11-year-old’s disability requires him to wear nappies full time.

Their house is in need of repair and one of the children is not registered with the clinic. With her own health failing, Ngutyani worries about what will happen to her grandchildren when she can no longer take care of them.

Mtshana Mvlisi is an OurHealth Citizen Journalist reporting from Lusikisiki in the OR Tambo health district in the Eastern Cape.