Rats Sivenathi

The children at Sivenathi Special Care Centre are living under horrifying conditions with some of them being eaten by rats. Image via Facebook: Sivenathi Special Care Centre

‘Eaten alive’: ‘Forgotten’ special needs children attacked by rats in EC

‘Rats ate right up to the bone in his foot’: Shock conditions at a special needs children’s home in Fort Beaufort have been brought to light.

Rats Sivenathi

The children at Sivenathi Special Care Centre are living under horrifying conditions with some of them being eaten by rats. Image via Facebook: Sivenathi Special Care Centre

Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation founder Marilyn Bassin has exposed the municipality of a small village in the Eastern Cape for the alleged misappropriation of funds that has led to the inhumane suffering of physically and mentally disabled children at a care home.

According to SA People, the NGO visited the residential facility called Sivenathi Special Care Centre in a village in Fort Beaufort last week where they found 36 children living in unfavourable conditions and being attacked by rats.

‘A RAT’S PARADISE’

Although the caregivers at Sivenathi are apparently loving and caring and the management do as much as possible to ensure that the children thrive, the living conditions are shocking.

What Bassin and the Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation found were “gaping holes in the walls” where rats can enter. There was also a large hole in the ceiling where rats appear to be living.

“The area where Sivenathi is situated in Fort Beaufort is unloved and forgotten. The roads are almost non-existent, and refuse is strewn everywhere. Children, dogs, and pigs roam freely in ankle-high refuse. A rat’s paradise,” described Bassin.

During the opening ceremony, the NGO handed out 23 specialised wheelchairs aimed to fix the broken equipment that the children of Sivenathi use. The local councillor, who was in attendance, was called to see the horrific rat bites that the children had suffered.

“One child had lost the tips of a few fingers, as well as nail involvement. The attack on the foot of the other child was as severe and agonising. Rats ate right up to the bone in his foot,” Bassin said.

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MUNICIPALITIES ‘SIDE-STEP ROLE’ AS ‘FUNDS GO ASTRAY’

According to Bassin, the local councillor explained that because the residents of the village don’t pay for services, a decision had been made to not clean up.

However, after the councillor of the area showed the photos to her municipality, a commitment to a clean up on Mandela Day was made.

In addition, Sivenathi and Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation submitted separate complaints to the South African Human Rights Commission.

“The entire area needs to be maintained regularly. People should not have to live in rubbish dumps, helpless children should not fall prey to rats. This horror is replaying itself in so many areas in this tragic province, as well as in other provinces.

“Municipalities have side-stepped their role of ensuring that people live in dignity, funds which are made available for clean-ups, as well as basic services, are going astray,” Bassin said.

ALSO READ: Two-year-old baby bitten to death by a rat in Hammanskraal

HOW YOU CAN HELP THE CHILDREN OF SIVENATHI

Because of the dire conditions the children at Sivenathi are subjected to, Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation is raising funds to help repair the walls and ceiling at the children’s home.

In addition, the caregivers — who only survive on a stipend — need funds to do first aid training to better care for the children.

For details on how to donate, click here.