01-08-2025
Toddler video 'a cry for help from drug-ravaged Newclare community'
Speaking to Sowetan outside court, Dr Shaheda Omar of the Teddy Bear Foundation described the video as 'shock, horror, sadness and anger'.
'The child responded spontaneously when asked to participate, which suggests this is not an isolated incident. This is a clear violation of the child's right to safety, health and protection,' she said.
Omar said a toddler's exposure to Mandrax could have severe and potentially life-threatening effects. 'It slows down breathing, can cause respiratory depression, coma, or even death. It affects the heart, lowers blood pressure, can trigger seizures and lead to long-term organ damage.
'We cannot rule out possible brain damage if the child was exposed even before birth. The long-term consequences include addiction, poor concentration, behavioural disorders and psychological trauma.'
ActionSA MP Dereleen James said she was deeply disturbed by the matter, calling it part of a disturbing trend of child abuse cases. 'Yet another child violated. We are still reeling from the Jayden-Lee matter, and now this. A spate of negligence has taken root in our communities,' she said.
James said part of the problem lay in poor service delivery in Newclare. 'Social workers often fail these communities and return children to the same abusive environments,' she said. 'We also know places of safety are overwhelmed, and cases like these are often struck off the roll due to a shortage of social workers. Even after the Joshlin matter, Saldanha Bay [in the Western Cape] struggles with services to protect children from abuse.'
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