Latest news with #Children'sActof2005
IOL News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Child Trafficking: How South Africa is Failing its Children
In a high profile case involving the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith (from left) Jacquen Appollis, Steveno van Rhyn, and Kelly Smith were sentenced to life imprisonment for human trafficking and kidnapping in the Western Cape High Court. Our children are the most vulnerable victims of the broken promises of democracy, says the writer. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers Mary De Haas When three people found guilty of kidnapping and trafficking six-year-old Joslin Smith, including her mother, received life sentences, hopes were raised that the sentence would send a strong warning to the lowest form of criminal life. However, although hundreds of children are reported missing annually, with most never found, kidnapping has become a form of extortion prevalent in many communities, to extract ransom money from parents. Our children are the most vulnerable victims of the broken promises of democracy. Many suffer malnutrition, schooling worse than Bantu education, and horrific abuse and rape. Families and communities do not receive the government support services they should, while far too many girls are having children to access the childcare grants, and neglecting their offspring. The Smith case, like shock-inducing gender-based violence murders, demands that voters ensure accountability from government departments which is currently lacking – especially Social Development (DSD), Health, the SAPS and courts, who should be protecting and supporting children and their families. In the late 1980s the apartheid government, realizing the damage done to family life by a century of colonialism, formulated a Family Policy. It was not implemented by the incoming government. The Department of Social Development is a prime offender, as funding for many NPOs doing good work has been cut. The Children's Act of 2005 is an excellent piece of legislation but, with exceptions, the training of social workers has plummeted in recent decades, with some accused of criminality. The Family Courts often fail to implement the legislation, as illustrated by the following case not located in KZN The complicity of Joslin Smith's mother compounded public outrage, but it is not an isolated case. The daughter of grandmother M, who had not wanted to keep her baby, had left her toddler son T, with M when she left for a job overseas; evidence subsequently emerged that she had probably been trafficked herself. M loved the baby, and bonded closely with him but, many months after her daughter, with whom communication was erratic, had left, social workers from a local NPO removed the child from his creche, claiming that his mother had ordered it. The child was placed with a distant cousin he did not know. No documentation was provided to M, who was referred to the Family Court, where she attended and endured regular remands. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ There were no reports from DSD social workers, nor any attempt by them to arrange the contact between T and M, as required by the legislation. It transpired that they did not know how to arrange contact or write court reports. M approached the local police about her trafficking concerns, but they did not assist. Months after T was removed, M's daughter told her mother she was returning to South Africa but, when she did, and took T herself, she announced she was returning overseas (probably, from previous travels, to the Middle East). The assistance of the Family Violence Unit and the Hawks was enlisted, to no avail, and an intervention by a social worker for M to the court was ignored. T's mother, who had lied to the court, was allowed to remove him from South Africa, raising questions about how often Family Courts fail in their mandate. This M case led to a small group of experienced social workers and academics exchanging ideas and experiences, and engaging with the professional council, to improve training, and to motivate for continuing professional development. Rigorous practical experience is the most important part of social work training, and too many students have not received it because some universities enrolled more students than staff capacity could handle – and because many were deployed to DSD for the practical component, and often left to fend for themselves. Students who do not know how to implement legal processes to ensure the best interest of the child, and cannot write coherent reports, should never graduate. As with other government departments, it may be near impossible to make contact with DSD social workers when they are needed in vulnerable communities. Telephones do not work or are not answered. With funding for NPOs scarce, many voluntary and faith-based bodies try to fill the gap in child protection. However, given that the most vulnerable communities are often terrorized by drug dealers, and there is an acute shortage of rehabilitation facilities for them, the poor remain the most vulnerable to traffickers. Yet no one is holding the government, and its near-broken criminal justice system, to account. It was Nelson Mandela who said 'History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children'. His immortal words are a glaring indictment of our government and all of us who fail our children – the future of our country. For our children, every day – not once a year – should be a Mandela Day. * Mary de Haas is a violence monitor in KZN, a honorary Research Fellow at the University of KZN's School of Law and a member of the Navi Pillay Research Group on justice and human rights. ** The views in this article do not necessarily represent the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
The Citizen
01-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Bertha Gxowa Hospital launches Child Protection Week with awareness walk
The Bertha Gxowa Hospital Care Centre launched Child Protection Week with a 5km and 10km walk through Germiston, raising awareness about child safety and the rights of minors. Stakeholders, including government departments and community organisations, addressed the public before heading into nearby communities to educate and engage with them. The event marks the start of a week-long campaign running from May 28 to June 4, focused on child protection, as outlined in the Children's Act of 2005. ALSO READ: Bertha Gxowa Hospital honours staff for excellence Sister Hazel Moagi, operational manager at Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services and lead organiser, highlighted the importance of early reporting and awareness. 'Lack of information delays reporting. Our goal is to ensure victims understand what constitutes abuse and where to seek help,' she said. Moagi noted that many children are unaware they are being abused, especially when the perpetrator is someone they trust. 'Some children witness domestic violence, which normalises abuse. This can result in behavioural issues and, eventually, more harm to others.' The centre plans to eliminate child neglect and abuse through community education and by encouraging open communication between parents and children. Moagi also warned against informal agreements between families in cases of abuse and stressed the need for strict enforcement of protective legislation. MMC for Developmental Planning and Real Estate, Ald Nomadlozi Nkosi, joined the march and called on parents and educators to play an active role. ALSO READ: Bertha Gxowa Hospital spreads awareness on TB 'Recent cases, like that of Joslin Smith, show the need for vigilance. Our city will be hosting an awareness programme with crèche owners to reinforce child safety,' she said. Germiston SAPS station commander Nonhlanhla Shezi confirmed that the station is equipped to handle child abuse cases through its specialised Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit. 'We urge parents to be aware of what is happening in their homes. Abuse can happen anywhere, regardless of status,' said Shezi. About National Child Protection Week First observed in 1997, National Child Protection Week aims to mobilise society to uphold the rights of children as guaranteed by the Children's Act, the Constitution, and international conventions. While the Department of Social Development spearheads the campaign, every citizen is urged to take responsibility for child protection. Support services available Department of Social Development (24-hour helpline): 0800 428 428 (0800 GBV GBV) Childline South Africa: 0800 055 555 Child Welfare South Africa: 0861 4 CHILD (24453) / 011 452 4110 Email: info@ These platforms offer free support and counselling to victims of abuse. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Unmarried fathers demand equal rights amid SA's growing family crisis
Many SA families are in crisis and facing challenges that negatively affect their ability to sustain themselves. One such challenge is the limited access some fathers have to their children because of the cultural practice of paying damages after the birth of a child. It must be noted that the family's well-being is of critical importance to the overall functioning of society. ALSO READ: Health department marks Nurses Day and calls for safer working environments Any breakdown in the family's ability to function and provide care increases the vulnerability of its members. As we observe the International Day of Families on May 15, it is vital to consider how the law protects unmarried fathers. In SA, unmarried fathers have legal rights and responsibilities under the Children's Act of 2005, which allows them to acquire parental rights and responsibilities if they meet certain conditions. According to an article by Scholtz Attorneys in Roodepoort, to acquire parental rights, an unmarried father must register the child's birth jointly with the mother or apply for parental responsibilities and rights through a court order. ALSO READ: Help children beat cancer and show support this Flip Flop Day 'It is crucial for unmarried fathers to establish their commitment to the child's well-being by demonstrating active involvement in their upbringing, including financial and emotional support. 'When the mother disputes the father's involvement, legal assistance becomes essential to navigate the process and protect the father's rights,' said the Gauteng Department of Social Development's (GDSD) media liaison Phetoho Maja. 'The GDSD, through its Family Preservation Programme, help unmarried fathers obtain full responsibilities and rights to their children by providing mediation. The department uses a unique, multi-tiered and managed process that is simple, innovative and integrates seamlessly with the court system,' said Maja. 'The United Nations officially declared the International Day of Families (IDF) in 1994 in response to changing economic and social structures that affect the stability and composition of family units in many parts of the world. 'The purpose of the observance is to raise awareness of the critical roles of parenting and fatherhood programmes in building strong, resilient families and addressing social challenges like substance abuse, violence and intergenerational trauma. ALSO READ: Cansa marks International Volunteer Day 'This milestone, observed annually, reflects the significance the global community places on families as the primary units of society. 'The theme for the 2024 IDF is 'Family-Oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Building Resilient Families'. 'The GDSD celebrates this day annually to promote stable, healthy families, the heart of strong societies, as it regards the family as a microcosm of the global community,' said Maya. 'It is also important to understand that building strong families is not only the government's responsibility but also of other stakeholders, such as the private sector, NPOs, and faith-based institutions. 'There is, therefore, a need to prioritise family issues, rights, and concerns through formal and informal efforts by governments in co-operation with the private sector and NPOs,' said Maya. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
