2017-07-26Staff Report 2 Loide Jason Oshitudha-Residents of Oshitudha village in Outapi Constituency are concerned about the antics of six learners who allegedly beat up their single mothers for dishing them a little food. The children also moan about the food being poorly cooked. Aron Teofelus, a resident of the village, said these impudent children are dangerous because so far two single mothers have already been beaten up on grounds their food was unappetising and poorly cooked. One mother was left with a swollen face and an injured eye after she told her son not to misuse food at home. The child apparently does not help with household chores and sits around doing nothing. “This boy, when the mother works for example in the mahangu field, he just sits at home idle. However, he always demands food from his mother. But when the mother asked why he was cooking a potful of food he slapped her,” Teofelus said. He said these young gangsters then get back together and give each other feedback on how they treated their parents back home after school. They are all in Grade 7 at the village school. Sofia Angala had sand thrown into her face and was then hit with a stone by her 17-year-old son, who is also a seventh grader. Angala confirmed her ordeal saying she is fed up with her son’s ill manners and he refuses to accept that she is poor and unemployed, though she is determined not to let him go to bed on an empty stomach. She said although she works hard to make sure there is food for her son, he always tries to prove she is not doing enough for him. “When I cook food like pap with beans he kicks the pots and throws the food away because apparently it is not nice food. I am unemployed and do not have any solid income to buy the food he wants,” said the distraught mother. When she makes traditional hats out of mopane leaves that she covers with grass to make some money her son apparently destroys the hats. What surprised most people is that after Angala was assisted by the councillor in provision of the steel wire to strengthen her fence, her son deliberately damaged the fence. She said that after her son has resorted to drinking alcohol at the local cuca shop after school, and then comes home, he starts singing loudly, which makes sleep difficult for her. “I know when he makes noise he wants me to wake up and say something so that he can beat me up. However, I refuse to do so. I will rather keep quiet in my room, although I burn inside my heart,” Angala said. The Councillor of Outapi Constituency, Fillemon Shikwambi, registered his disappointment in the young people who he said are supposed to work hard to support their single, unemployed mothers. He said that it would be appropriate if the relevant authorities and the traditional leaders counselled these uncultured children on the importance of respecting one’s mother at all times. Shikwambi also suggested these children be sent to boarding school and only be allowed to come back home for a few days. However, he promised he would see what assistance he could render to make these children better citizens. 2017-07-26Staff Report 2
