The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) will revisit the Jewel Educare, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Mannenberg, with a police escort if needs be.
This comes after social workers earlier this week tried to conduct an investigation into allegations of child abuse and an alleged shutdown of the centre which has been embroiled in a protest, but received a hostile reception and were threatened by the Principal and staff.
The department condemns this incident. Any action which compromises the safety of our staff dispatching their duties as per the Children’s Act of 2005, is completely unacceptable.
Jewel Educare is registered and receives funding from the department.
The department will continue its investigation into child abuse claims, and officials from the ECD programme will be sent with a police escort, if needed, to ensure the safety of all affected.
DSD has invested substantially into the ECD sector, with well over R290-million having been allocated for the 2016/17 financial year. This is why DSD takes our oversight role of the growing network of 1370 registered and funded ECD organisations seriously.
Registration allows for the department to provide funding and inspections of facilities to ensure compliance on health & safety aspects, as well as the quality of ECD curriculum.
The public can locate their closest ECD centre or check on the registration of their ECD centre by visiting any DSD local office or by contacting the DSD hotline on 0800 220 250.
Media enquiries:
Sihle Ngobese
Spokesperson for Albert Fritz, MEC of Social Development
Tel: 021 483 9217
Cell: 076 083 6543
E-mail: Sihle.Ngobese@westerncape.gov.za
