Parents lament lack of government support

Parents with autistic children have accused the government of not doing enough to support those suffering from the condition.

Some parents spoke to the NEWS during the inaugural #GameON Autism Golf Clinic, hosted by Els for Autism South Africa.

Glendower Golf Course played host to the event, which took place last Thursday.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviour.

Ms Cynthia Sathekge-Lotha, the mother of nine-year-old Fentse Lotha, said it is a daily struggle to take care of her daughter without much help from the powers that be.

“I am a single mom and I had to force my daughter’s current school to take her in, as they initially refused to. I cannot afford the specialised school as my salary alone hardly gets us through the month,” she said.

Ms Sathekge-Lotha’s daughter still has no speech. She feels things could have been different if her daughter had been placed into a school that specialises in dealing with autism.

“Government should at least subsidise the fees at these schools so even low-income families can afford to give their children education,” she said.

Another parent, Mr Darren Huke, echoed the same sentiment, but added that it was a blessing to come across Els’ organisation.

“They helped a lot with finding a school for our son, Daniel. Guidance is key and we are happy to have met the organisation at such a crucial time in Daniel’s life and development,” said Mr Huke.

He added that government should assist teachers and offer the necessary training so they will know how to attend to autistic children.

“No one knows exactly what to do and I think they need to be taught about the condition. More awareness also needs to be raised within the general public,” said Mr Huke.

Golf heavyweight Mr Ernie Els launched Els for Autism South Africa in 2009, after his son was diagnosed with the condition.