The Minister of Social Development Edna Molewa
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Premier of Gauteng, Nomvula Mokonyane
Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Dr Gwen Ramakgopa
FIFA Secretary General, Mr Jerome Valcke
CEO of the Local Organising Committee, Mr Danny Jordaan
Parents and children of Atteridgeville
There is only 20 days to go before the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. Each day we celebrate and prepare for this biggest sporting event ever to take place in the country and continent. We are pleased that today our journey brings us to Atteridgeville.
We join you in this township which is home of soccer legends such as Lucas Masterpieces Moripe, to launch Child Protection Week 2010, the Children’s Act and to celebrate the World Cup soccer legacy for children.
South African children, regardless of age, know something about the World Cup.
In fact, this World Cup tournament has caused some communities to break with tradition. Parents of young boys who will be at initiation schools in Limpopo next month have been allowed to bring them television sets so that they can watch soccer.
It is reported that the province's House of Traditional Leaders wants to ensure that being in the bush does not disadvantage the boys.
That is the power of the FIFA World Cup on African soil. We will no doubt hear more unique stories which can only be heard in South Africa!
The tournament has clearly captured the imagination of all South Africans, young and old.
From next Monday to 30 May, the country will mark the annual Child Protection Week.
It is only natural that we should link this year’s Child Protection Week to the celebration to the World Cup.
We urge the whole country, including non-governmental organisations, the media and sporting bodies to include the promotion of children’s well-being and rights in their programmes and campaigns next, week to raise awareness.
This year, we link the launch of Child Protection Week to the World Cup tournament for good reasons. The event has created an environment for us to create a good legacy for our children.
The priceless gain from this world cup is nation building. The expressions of national solidarity and pride, the promotion of our national symbols and other activities related to the World Cup are providing an opportunity for unity.
We are giving meaning to our Constitution which says South Africa belongs to all who live in it. We are laying the foundation for a future in which all will pay allegiance to the Constitution, the national flag and all symbols that define who we are.
That is the legacy we want to bequeath to our children.
We want our children to grow up with that kind patriotism and pride. We also want this tournament to generate enthusiasm for sports amongst children. The future Bafana Bafana squad will hopefully emerge from our primary schools this year, from children who will be inspired by the soccer world cup.
This means that this tournament has to ensure investment in our football facilities.
Amongst many legacy projects, the Organising Committee plans to build one football turf in each of the 52 South African Football Association regions.
The intention is to promote participation in football, and ensure that all South Africans have the facilities to play.
These will be hubs for sport and community development in the host country. There are a number of other legacy projects that are being worked on, which we will announce in due course.
You are of course also aware of the infrastructure that has been developed which will be there for generations to utilise, from the airports, to the roads and stadiums.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,
While we are excited about the World Cup tournament, we are mindful that an event of this magnitude unfortunately also opens up opportunities for criminals such as those who traffic in women and children.
Of particular concern is that the extended closure of schools for the mid-term vacation during the World Cup will leave large numbers of children largely without fulltime supervision.
Not all parents and caregivers will be able to align their vacation with that of the extended school vacation.
We urge parents to take extra care and ensure that their children are supervised and provided with guidance at all times.
Children wandering alone in shopping malls and football stadiums will be vulnerable to people with evil intentions.
Government departments, the United Nations agency UNICEF, Police, justice officials, social workers and other service professionals are preparing to provide assistance in host cities and other areas.
Human trafficking is a relatively new phenomenon in our country and we must take this threat very seriously.
Global trade in human trafficking is estimated at 32 billion US dollars annually.
It is estimated that six to eight hundred thousand people are trafficked annually. They are lured by offers of employment, education or a better life and end up in foreign countries in bondage.
Approximately 80% of victims are women and girls, and up to 50% are minor children.
The 2009 United Nations Global Report on Trafficking in Persons indicates that 79% of victims of human trafficking end up being victims of sexual exploitation. Another 18% are subject to forced labour.
Human Trafficking has been prioritised as a focus area in our criminal justice system.
Dedicated provincial anti-human trafficking police coordinators and task teams have been established. There are competent human trafficking investigators in every organised crime unit.
Regular training workshops are presented to the police, especially to front line officers working at Ports of Entry.
We will play our part as government but parents and caregivers also have to be vigilant.
We also have developed various pieces of legislation to deal with certain aspects of human trafficking.
One of these is the Children’s Act which has the pleasure of launching today. The law came into operation on 1 April.
The legislation took 10 years to reach Parliament due to a very thorough consultative process.
This ensured the emergence of a comprehensive piece of legislation which covers all aspects of child protection and development.
The Children’s Act makes it a crime to traffick children.
In addition, the Criminal Law Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act of 2007 contain provisions which criminalise human trafficking for sexual purposes or for any other purpose.
We recently tabled the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill before parliament.
The Bill addresses the shortcomings of existing legislative infrastructure on human trafficking. It provides for more extensive domestic legislation to combat and curb this crime.
Specifically, it provides for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking and the prosecution of persons engaged in trafficking.
We must all work together to ensure that 2010 FIFA World Cup leaves behind a long-lasting and positive legacy for our children and future generations.
We must remember the tournament with joy and excitement, and not with pain due to women and children who go missing due to this horrendous practice of human trafficking.
We urge parents to look after boy children too, as they also become victims to abuse even though the spotlight is usually on girls.
We must therefore work closely together to curb this crime, which is in essence modern day slavery.
As we launch the Children’s Act, we urge you to use the legislation effectively to protect and develop children.
The Children’s Act introduces better reporting mechanisms for child abuse, neglect and exploitation of children. It is also innovative in the sense that it addresses the plight of child headed households.
As you all know, families are the corner stone of our community and primarily responsible for the care and protection of children.
It is for this reason that the Children’s Act promotes the preservation and strengthening of families so as to give effect to the constitutional rights and obligation towards children, specifically family care, parental care or appropriate alternative care.
This is the kind of community spirit that we want to revive in our society through the Children’s Act - a community in which children can be allowed to enjoy their childhood.
This is what Child Protection Week campaign is all about. Nothing short of a community-wide commitment and participation to caring for our children will suffice.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me wish you the best World Cup soccer spectacular ever in 20 day’s time, here at Super Stadium in Atteridgeville and everywhere.
And let us look after our children as we enjoy the soccer! They are the most important people in our lives.
Working together we can do more to protect children.
It is my honour and pleasure to launch Child Protection Week 2010 and the Children’s Act.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
21 May 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/)
