Child protection experts have emphasised the importance of involving the entire community in the fight against child abuse.
Child abuse in the Western Cape recently made headlines when a woman was arrested for pouring boiling water on a 5-year-old boy named Unako Kala while he was playing with dogs in his neighbourhood.
The child suffered severe burn wounds as a result of the incident. Asanda Makaluza, a 22-year-old woman from Langa, was arrested in connection with the assault.
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As reported by News24, Yonela Mnyombolo, Unako’s aunt, stated that the child is doing well. However, the family is understandably outraged by the child’s treatment.
Mnyombolo recalled the day Unako came home screaming and crying with open wounds from the scalding water. She expressed their frustration, claiming that their child, as a child, did not deserve such treatment. Unako had gone to the park on Settlers Street, where the accused lived, to play with his neighbourhood friends, according to Mnyombolo.
‘When it was time to come home, the children walked up the street,’ said Mnyombolo.
She explained that the children were distracted by dogs in the street and wanted to play with them, but the dogs continued to bark at them.
It was then that the woman allegedly poured a bucket of boiling water over the child.
Mnyombolo mentioned that they confronted the woman about her actions, expressing their anger. Ward councillor Lwazi Phakade echoed the family’s account, stating that children often find animals amusing and get distracted while walking home from the park. It is possible that the dogs’ barking irritated Asanda, leading her to act in a condemnable manner.
Phakade emphasised the community’s anger regarding the incident and the importance of allowing the legal process to unfold.
The case of Unako’s assault is not an isolated incident. The quarterly crime statistics indicate 419 cases of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm to children in the Western Cape between January and March. Additionally, during the same period, 39 children were murdered, and 81 attempted murder cases were reported.
Marguerite Holtzhausen, the director at The Trauma Centre, reportedly highlighted that the motivations for violence against children could vary from mental health issues to substance abuse. While the specific triggers for this case are unknown, Holtzhausen stressed that mental health often contributes to such acts of violence. She emphasised the importance of addressing the root causes of childhood trauma while working with children in schools.
Holtzhausen also mentioned that children often face risks due to a lack of safe spaces to play, explaining that with inadequate supervision, young children roam the streets freely, exposing themselves to potential harm.
Edith Kriel, the director of the child protection organisation Jelly Beanz, pointed out that many South Africans are constantly in survival mode, leaving little room for empathy or kindness. She further emphasised that children’s rights are undervalued in many communities, where they are not seen as individuals with their own rights and receive little understanding or compassion.
Kriel stressed the need for a systemic shift to prevent child abuse, which includes providing social support to parents. She acknowledged the government’s effort in creating the childcare grant but highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by families due to the brokenness resulting from the legacy of apartheid.
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‘Due to the legacy of apartheid, there’s so much brokenness in families, parenting and parenting abilities. How are we really supporting families? The best thing the government has done is create the childcare grant. But that’s just money, and it often doesn’t even get beneficiaries to the end of the month,’ she said.
Kriel questioned whether there are sufficient facilities and after-school programmes to protect children effectively. Lucinda Evans, a child rights activist, expressed shock over the case and hoped that the legal process would proceed appropriately. She called for increased support and services for women and mothers, especially those struggling with mental health issues.
The Department of Social Development is reportedly aware of the incident, and a social worker from a partnering non-governmental organisation has been in contact with Unako’s family. If necessary, psychosocial support will be provided to the family, as stated by Department spokesperson Monique Mortlock-Malgas.
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