Latest news with #Mathebula
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Children's rights and how to spot abuse
Children's rights and how to spot abuse As National Child Protection Week drew to a close on June 5, parents are urged to educate their children about their rights. National Child Protection Week is commemorated from May 29 to June 5. This year's theme was 'Working together in ending violence against children'. The week serves to raise awareness of the rights of children as articulated in the Constitution and the Children's Act (Act No. 38 of 2005). Under the act, each South African child is entitled to: – A name and nationality. – Family care or appropriate alternative care. – Basic nutrition, shelter, healthcare and social services. – Protection from neglect, maltreatment and abuse. – Protection from exploitative labour services, including work or services that are inappropriate. – Protection from being used in armed conflict and protection during times of armed conflict. Tshwane District Health Social Worker Agnes Mathebula says there are various signs of physical and emotional abuse that parents can look out for should they occur. 'We identify signs of abuse either physically or through looking at the behaviour of the child. Physically, you'll see things like bruises, fractures, cigarette burns and things like that, those aren't too difficult to identify. But the emotional abuse can be difficult to spot,' Mathebula says. Behavioural indicators may include fear of parents, alterations in behaviour, withdrawn or aggressive tendencies or academic difficulties. The Department of Social Development has a pilot 24-hour call centre dedicated to providing support and counselling to victims of gender-based violence: The toll-free number to call is 0800 428 428 (0800 GBV GBV) to speak to a social worker for assistance and counselling. Callers can also request a social worker from the Command Centre to contact them by dialling *120*7867# (free) from any cellphone. You can also get help at: Childline South Africa: 116 Child Welfare South Africa: 0861 4 CHILD (24453), 011 452-4110 or e-mail: info@ ALSO READ: Your ultimate weekend plans in Pretoria Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- The Citizen
Carletonville police teach Busy Bee Daycare children how to stay safe from criminals
Members of the Carletonville SAPS, along with several key partners, visited the Busy Bee Day Care Centre to educate young children on how to protect themselves from crime — particularly from kidnappers and strangers. The initiative was led by Captain Plastiek Van Vuuren, Carletonville's Social Crime Prevention Officer, and coordinated by Sergeant Thabo David Mathebula, the station's domestic violence coordinator. The outreach forms part of an ongoing effort to strengthen community safety and raise awareness at grassroots level. Other stakeholders included representatives from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Community Policing Forum (CPF), SAVF, and the Departments of Social Services and Health. 'The purpose of the visit was to teach children how to ask for help when they need it, especially to escape dangerous situations or kidnappers,' said Sgt. Mathebula. Children were introduced to the role players, including Abraham Sithole from the Siyabangena CPF patrollers, who assured the youngsters that CPF patrollers are trustworthy and there to help. Mapule Ratsoma from the NPA also encouraged children to speak up if they see something wrong and said they can even report crimes to religious leaders they trust. One of the most engaging moments of the day was a musical activity led by Wandiswa Bangane from the Carletonville Central Clinic, who sang the My Special Body song to about 70 children. The performance reminded children that police officers are their friends, not people to be afraid of. The children received 20 SAPS-branded colouring books and sweets from Sgt. Mathebula — but with a firm warning: 'Never accept sweets or gifts from strangers.' The educational visit was well-received and highlighted the importance of early childhood education in crime prevention and safety awareness. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
