The number of child murders in the Western Cape has decreased from 48 in the third quarter to 39 in the fourth but children’s rights organisations contend that the province’s youth continue to face a number of challenges, according to the latest crime statistics.
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Last week, Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, said that the number of children killed in the province was 20 fewer than over the same period of the previous year.
‘It will never be acceptable that one child, or any person for that matter, is killed. Whether this is in our province or anywhere in the country, under no circumstances is it condoned,’ he said.
‘We want to ensure that residents live in improved, safer and dignified environments. We are making strides, but there is a long way to go. As the crime statistics show, fewer children are being murdered, but we still have a long way to go in ensuring that all residents, particularly our children, are free from fear,’ added Allen.
This comes as the country observed National Child Protection Week from 28 May to 4 June.
The Western Cape Child Protection Alliance said studies showed that violence was everywhere and that most children experienced or witnessed multiple forms of violence in their homes, schools and communities.
‘Nationally, 42% of children have experienced some form of violence, including sexual abuse (35%), physical violence (35%), emotional abuse (26%), and neglect (15%). But community studies show far higher rates of exposure and trauma in Soweto (99%) and Khayelitsha (80%),’ said the alliance.
Speaking to IOL, director of social services programmes at Badisa, Ronel van Zyl, said that for the last five years, subsidies for child protection NGOs in the Western Cape have remained at the same level.
‘Because of rising costs and inflation, this means a cut in real terms of between 20 to 25%. Designated child protection organisations are now at breaking point. It’s the worst it has ever been,’ said van Zyl.
Meanwhile, Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez said that during the 2018/19 financial year, child protection NGOs were allocated R164 million in transfer funding by the department.
‘This amount was also only for the subsidy of social worker posts. The impact of a declining economy, the impact of above-inflation public sector wage increases implemented nationally, and the shifting of funding toward disaster relief efforts in the wake of the Covid pandemic, have meant that the department has not been able to increase transfer funding in line with inflation. This has effectively translated into reduced allocations for child protection NGOs, along with other sectors that the department funds,’ said Fernandez.
‘We believe that all children have the right to be protected in their environments by their parents or caregivers. The primary responsibility for child protection lies with parents and caregivers. But when children are vulnerable, abused, neglected and exploited they are considered to be in need of care and protection. The Western Cape Department of Social Development has a range of services aimed at the protection of children,’ said Fernandez.
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Picture: Unsplash/ Piron Guillaume