OPINION | Gauteng govt keeps boosting its interventions to protect vulnerable women, children

The gruesome discovery of the body of a child suspected to be that of two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba, who went missing last year, during Child Protection Week is disturbing. 

But what is more upsetting is that his mother is allegedly involved in his disappearance and reportedly sold him to a sangoma.

This is a repeat of Joshlin Smith’s case whose mother was sentenced recently for kidnapping and trafficking her six-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, Joshlin has not been found. 

These mothers deserve nothing but harsh sentences that will set an example and deter other parents from even thinking about committing these horrendous crimes. Mothers are supposed to be primary caregivers and protectors of their children.   

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) every year, there is an estimated 40,150 deaths of children under 18 years due to child maltreatment. 

In SA, government uses the Child Protection Week to heighten the level of awareness on children’s rights, care and protection while creating safe environments for children as articulated in the constitution of the Republic of SA and the Children’s Act (Act No 38 of 2005).

The Gauteng provincial government has strengthened its interventions on violence against women and children. These include docket analysis, the establishment of safe houses and shelters for abused women and their children. 

A total of 137 victim empowerment centres were established in all five regions and police stations across the province. These provide support services for more than 50,000 victims. In addition to this, government has established 32 community safe houses and 23 shelters for abused women. These houses and shelters serve more than 600 women and their children. 

There has been an enhancement of services at Ikhaya Lethemba to encompass additional forensic medical and medico-legal services which serve thousands of women and their children who were victims of sexual and/or domestic violence. 

As part of an integrated and comprehensive approach to the elimination of violence against women and girls, the provincial government opened the second Ikhaya Lethemba shelter for female victims in Evaton in August 2019.

Gender-based forums have also been established and a focus on strengthening interventions, family justice support, forensics, conviction rates, family violence, child protection and sexual offences support. Seventy men appointed as safety promoters groups with 2,450 men has led to a reduction in crimes against women and children.

In addition, 135 youth desks for social crime prevention and skills development have been set up in Gauteng, as well as two new secure facilities for children in conflict with the law and an increased number of uptake of services at child and youth care centres. 

The provincial government has deployed 5,400 wardens to all no-fee-paying schools across the province as part of school safety interventions. This is done so that our children can learn in a conducive and safe environment.

The Gauteng government has a number of programmes in place to alleviate child poverty, which include the provision of school uniforms and dignity packs for children in need. The province has also resuscitated the pro-poor basket for all children through the Bana Pele programme and the e-indigent register. These interventions have been expanded to cater for the most vulnerable population; children. 

Since the inception of the Bana Pele programme, the provincial government has reached 4.5 million young girls who received dignity packs while more than 600,000 children received school uniforms and food parcels. The dignity packs consist of sanitary towels, petroleum jelly, and toothpaste.

With all these interventions that government has come up with to ensure that children are safe and don’t go to bed hungry, communities remain key in ensuring the ultimate safety of children. Child safety is everyone’s responsibility, not just government alone. If you witness child abuse or neglect you should contact authorities or social workers to intervene. 

The provincial government will continue to raise awareness and education about available services as communities are often unaware where to go when experiencing challenges or are in crisis. Education and awareness enable early detection, reporting and referral of children and families in distress for early intervention services.

• Dlamini is a communicator at the Gauteng Office of the Premier