Programme Director;
Traditional Leader of Mogoboya village, Kgoshi Mogoboya;
Limpopo Premier, Mr Cassel Mathale;
Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mrs Bongi Maria Ntuli;
MEC of Social Development, Mr Norman Mabasa;
Executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality, Councillor Joshua Matlou;
Director-General of Social Development, Mr Coceko Pakade;
Government officials present;
Fellow South Africans;
Ladies and gentlemen.
I am indeed honoured to be afforded an opportunity to stand before you in closure of Child Protection Week. Since its first launch in 1997, the main objective of the CPW campaign is to mobilise all sectors of society and communities in the effort of ensuring care and protection for children.
It is also befitting to mention that this is one of the most crucial years in the history of South Africa and the African continent. I hope you are conscious that this year the African Union is celebrating fifty years of its existence.
It is however important to take note that both our country and the African continent are still facing the gross violation of human rights.
These violated rights are not exceptional to the rights of our children who remain amongst the vulnerable members in society. Despite the defence of these rights by South African Constitution and Children’s Act of 2005, this year we decided to take our partnership with the Civil Society to another level.
Our partnership is summarised vividly in the Child Protection Week theme, “Working Together to Protect Children”. The theme commits government to work closer with other sectors to protect the innocent lives of the defenceless children.
Programme Director,
As we close this campaign, our appeal to all South Africans is that they must work jointly in taking action of protecting our children.
It is also our humble request to all South Africans that this campaign must not end today, but rather be an ongoing thing.
One other important factor is that the protection of children cannot be the sole responsibility of government. All members of our communities including Traditional Leaders, Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), Parents, Educators and Leaders from various sectors must play their part.
South Africa has a highly respected Constitution and other pieces of legislation which upholds the rights and interests of children. The legislation I am referring to include the Bill of Rights and Children’s Act of 2005.
I am appealing to our fellow South Africans to read and understand their Constitution because it stipulates that rights cannot be separated from responsibility. Before pointing a finger at government, parents must play their part and instil discipline and good morals to their starting from a young age.
Our children must grow in stable families which can give them care, love and support. If we fail as families to raise our children in the right manner, somebody else will do that on our behalf.
Communication between parents and children is also important in this regard. We must not be afraid to confront the realities of the twenty first century and inform our children about sexual education. The time is now where we must stop hiding behind the truth and begin to confront the realities of life.
Some of the social ills such as teenage pregnancy emanate from faulty information we shared with our children. Parents must stop lying to their children that a child comes with an aeroplane. We must engage these children and make them free to talk about sex and the challenges they face in their lives. If we do not act now, sugar daddies will use their money to attract young girl children and act on our behalf.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Parents can also take initiative and adopt children who are orphaned and neglected by their parents. Some of these children live in child headed households and their lives are dysfunctional due to lack of parenting. For those who are willing to adopt children, we have social workers in our department to assist with professional guidance.
Being party to the Multi-Sectoral Approach, the Department of Social Development in collaboration with stakeholders and partners, we made clear our commitment towards the protection of children. We reaffirmed our pledge at the end of the Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth conference which took place this week at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International
Convention Centre (ICC).
Our pledge is in line with the Constitution of South Africa and the National Development Plan. These instruments teach us that every child has the right to care, support and protection, particularly children without parental care, including migrant children, and children with disabilities.
The OVCY conference resolved as well that we have entered a new phase which that will require our maximum cooperation and collaboration. It is also recommended in the resolutions that the views of our children pertaining issues affecting their daily lives must be considered.
In closure, I would like to emphasise that our children can also be protected if we build national awareness from within our own structures. Let us continually report cases of child abuse, neglect and exploitation to social works and law enforcement authorities.
The NGOs can play an important role through dissemination of information to potential victims of abuse and neglect.
The gratitude must also go to all government departments, members of the media, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and organisations for their decent contribution to the success of this campaign.
The Department of Social Development will continuously work with all community structures including Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Faith Based Organisations (FBOS) in the interest of children’s rights and wellbeing.
The training of Child Care givers by our department is also a step towards the right direction.
Thank you.
