MANDALA - "Who will take care of these orphans?" were the words of mourners, who attended the funeral service of a destitute mother, Mrs Joyce Mautha at Mandala, Tshamuganame Village on Sunday.

Mrs Mautha, mother of 6, had been reported ill since the year 2000 until she died towards the end of August in the Siloam Hospital.

The poverty stricken family found it difficult to bury her, due to their lack of funds. Before her death, she was living in a one-roomed apartment with her six children, four boys and two girls.

When the Managing Director of the Tshitshite Funeral Undertaker, Dr Bono JR Sigidi heard about the situation, he offered an amount of R10 000 for he funeral. Sigidi said he has already helped 16 destitute families in burying their beloved. His company is also building a house of a mentally retarded man.

He also challenged other businessmen in the funeral industry, to employ 50% women in their work force to take care of bodies of women in the mortuaries. He said that it is not good for a man to wash a naked body of a woman. This spoils the dignity of women.

The family representative, Mr Alfred Tshamano told Mirror that the family could in some instances spend a week without food. Mautha's first born, Thikhathali Nemaname (16) is in Grade 8 at Tshifhena Secondary School and he has not yet paid school fees. He told Mirror that since his father died in 1997 life became sour at home. We do not have school uniforms, food and blankets," he said. Sometimes teachers used to suspend us from class because we don't have school uniforms. He said that he wants to become a policeman.