The heart-rending saga of child-headed families is as much a reality of South Africa as child neglect.

Today we publish a report on an 11-year-old North West girl who supports her two young siblings by prostituting herself to older men.

Especially sad is that the children's mother draws a state grant on their behalf but does not support them.

This corroborates general perceptions that child grant abuse is rife. A strict monitoring system involving social workers still offers the best solution to the problem.