Durban - Kogie Perumal has been reunited with her son after 34 years and she is hoping to see her daughter soon.
In 1986, her children were toddlers when they were taken away from her by child welfare services.
Perumal, 56, was a single mother living in Motala Farm (now Motala Heights) in Pinetown. She left her children in the care of her aunt while she went to work as a machine operator at a carpet manufacturing company in the area. One day, child welfare staff allegedly received an anonymous tip-off that the children were being neglected and, without informing Perumal, employees removed them from the aunt's care.
Perumal said that, as far as she knew, her children were well taken care of.
"The next morning, I went to the welfare offices. I told a staff member that I wanted to see my children, but they refused. I tried on numerous occasions to get answers but I failed. The day the article was published in the POST on November 25, a friend of my son’s saw it and told him about it. He called me that afternoon. When I heard his voice, I cried. This was my Christmas wish come true."
Perumal said they met for the first time on November 29.
"I went to his home. When I saw his face, I knew he was my child. I identified him by a scar.
“He said he and his sister were taken to a children's home for six months before they were adopted by a family in Chatsworth."
Perumal said that he told her that when his sister turned 18, she tried to look for her.
"I apologised to my son for everything that happened. I explained that it was out of my control and that I tried to get them back. He has forgiven me but we still need to work on our relationship because he is hurting."
She said she was not sure where her daughter was but she hoped to be reunited with her.
IOL