“You can’t take everything a child says seriously. Do you see anything scary here? You learned people think you know better than everyone else!” says Hlengiwe angrily.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry. I’m just telling you what Likho said,” says Fezile. She can see that Hlengiwe has screwed up her face.

“Okay I forgive you. But leave R50 for beer so I will forgive you completely,” says Hlengiwe.

“I won’t do that. What I’ll do, however, is tell you to stop hitting Likho because it is affecting her mentally. Her performance has dipped this term,” says Fezile.

“What does her drop in performance have to do with me? She is not doing well because you cannot do your job. The only thing you teachers of today know is to put on your high heels and your long nails that look like Satan’s. Just leave my house right now!” Hlengiwe wags her finger in Fezile’s face.

“You can say whatever you want to say but know this. If I hear you are hitting Likho again, I’ll call the police on you.” Fezile shakes her head and leaves.

Fezile gets in her car and cries. A knock on her window startles her. The woman knocking asks her to roll down the window.

“My name is Zenande, I am a Hlengiwe’s neighbour. I know you, Mam. My child also goes to your school.”

Fezile wipes away her tears and pays attention to what Zenande has to say.

“Likho is living under bad conditions, Mam. It is really heart-breaking to see. Her mother drinks every day. All sorts of shady characters drink at that shack. She doesn’t cook most of the time, so Likho sometimes goes to sleep hungry. We have tried to speak to her as her neighbours but she gets irritated and defensive,” says Zenande.

“I hear you, Zenande.”

“Please, Mam. Help that child if you can.”

“I’ll see what I’ll do,” says Fezile. “Thank you for letting me know.”

Fezile feels down as she drives home. She can’t help but wonder why Hlengiwe would treat Likho this way. She thinks deeply but in all her conclusions, not one reason can justify such bad treatment of a child.

Lindani notices that his wife is distraught as soon as she walks through the lounge door.

“Why are you so down, my love?” he asks.

“It is because of what I saw today, my love. If you saw it you’d also be as distraught as I am,” says Fezile, taking off her shoes and sitting on the sofa.

“What did you see, my love?”

“One of my learners is living under terrible conditions. She is brilliant but her performance in class has dipped because of the conditions she is living under. Today I went so far as to actually go to where she lives. And what I saw …” says Fezile.

“What did you see?”

“The child lives in a shack and her mother has turned her shack into a shebeen. She neglects the child, and all sorts of unsavoury characters are always at her home, coming and going at all hours. I just fear for Likho’s safety.”

“You have to tell social workers about it before her situation gets worse,” says Lindani.

“I’ll speak to the principal tomorrow,” says Fezile.

“I hope it all goes well, my love. A child should never live under bad conditions. What kind of nation will we build if we harm our own children?” Lindani shakes his head.

Tell us: What is likely to become of Likho if she is left in this bad home situation?