Vhembe battles rising rate of child abuse

LIMPOPO – The already-high numbers of reported cases of child abuse – physical and sexual – has activists who are watching the situation concerned, as they have noticed a steady rise in numbers.

LIMPOPO – The already-high numbers of reported cases of child abuse – physical and sexual – has activists who are watching the situation concerned, as they have noticed a steady rise in numbers.

LIMPOPO - Judge Gerrit Muller of the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday dismissed the Komape family leave to appeal against his decision to grant them no compensation for the emotional trauma and shock they have experienced.

LIMPOPO - Born and bred in deep rural area of Tshilamba, outside Thohoyandou in Vhembe, Tinyiko Gwambe (22) is wheelchair-bound but has never allowed her disability to stop her quest to be well educated.

LIMPOPO - Many learners in deep rural villages in Vhembe drop out of school every winter for no reason other than they have no shoes and cannot walk to school barefoot in the biting cold.

LIMPOPO - As June fast approaches many young boys in the Vhembe district will be sent to mountain schools for circumcision at the annual winter initiation schools.

LIMPOPO - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will be monitoring the readiness of public health facilities in Moutse before the Department of Health begins the process of transferring HIV patients from the Ndlovu Care Group into public health facilities of their choice.

LIMPOPO – The plight of a 27-year-old mentally and physically handicapped man from Mpheni village, outside Louis Trichard is growing increasingly worse as nobody is looking after him and a loan shark retains possession of his social grant card.

LIMPOPO – Despite most public libraries now offering hope to visually impaired people through the South African Libraries For The Blind Project, many blind people in rural areas remain unemployed with limited opportunities.

LIMPOPO - The Komape family, with the help of Section27, is set to appeal the judgment handed by the Polokwane High Court dismissing their claim for R3-million compensation for the death of five-year-old Michael Komape who drowned in a pit toilet at school.

LIMPOPO – On Monday the family of Michael Komape – the five-year-old boy who drowned in faeces after falling into a pit toilet four years ago – will find out whether their request for damages has been granted, giving them final closure.

LIMPOPO - While most of the schools damaged during demarcation protests in Vuwani have been renovated, Frank Mukhaswakule Primary School in Mashau village has been left with unfinished classrooms, dilapidated old pit toilets and dangerous holes on the school grounds.

LIMPOPO - The recent rise in drug abuse amongst youth in Vhembe district, and a lack of facilities to assist those who are addicted and wants to quit is the main cause behind high rates of rapes, robberies and school drop-outs.