The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, will on Thursday 25 June, receive the South African child (14) and youth (20) being repatriated from Malawi. The child and youth from Mpumalanga Province are orphans who were removed from the care of their grandmother to Malawi in July 2014 by a woman who posed as a former teacher.
Social workers in Malawi have reported that the two were subjected to physical and emotional abuse. They have asked the South African government to provide them with extensive counselling and the boy is reportedly very withdrawn and prefers to keep to himself.
The two were officially handed by the Malawian government to the South African government represented by the SA Higher Commissioner Ms Cassandra Mbuyane-Mokone. They have been kept to a transit home for children in Lilongwe.
A team comprised of the Department of Social Development (DSD) and Interpol which left for Malawi on June 22 will travel back to South Africa with the child and youth, arriving at OR Tambo International at 15h35 on Thursday, June 25 and received by Minister Dlamini.
Members of the media are invited to the reception ceremony. Shortly afterwards, Minister Dlamini will brief the media on the repatriation of the child and youth.
The media briefing will take place as follows:
Date: Thursday, 25 June 2015
Time: 16h30
Venue: Southern Sun OR Tambo International Airport, Jones Road, Johannesburg
RSVP:
Jaconia Kobue
Cell: 073 026 1111
Email: jaconiak@dsd.gov.za
Note: Members of the media are advised that because a minor is involved, images of both the child and youth may not be published or broadcast.
Enquiries:
Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
Email: lumkao@dsd.gov.za
