Programme Director
Premier of KwaZulu-Natal province
MECs present
Ladies and gentlemen
Boys and girls
I greet you all
It is indeed an honour for me to be part of this important occasion to celebrate National Children’s day. I feel particularly honoured and humbled to be standing in front of our children from the length and breadth of our country. Matombazanyana na bafanyana bam abahle. Ngiyani Thanda nonke,Ke a le rata kaofela. You are all precious to all of us because you are the future of the South Africa.
National Children’s Day takes place on the first Saturday of November every year. It is on this day that we reflect, review, assess and celebrate the strides made since the dawn of democracy to address children’s issues and assess progress in advancing the children’s Rights Agenda.
National Children’s Day places the spotlight on what we can and must do to meet the basic rights of the child. The day seeks to inculcate a culture of caring and protecting our children and to give concrete expression to the notion that it takes a village to raise a child. It encourages civil society and other partners to work together with government to protect children’s rights.
Today, we are gathered here in Ugu to celebrate this special day under the theme: “Sireletsa Bana: Creating a caring Society”. We are here to further raise awareness and to mobilise all sectors of society to redouble their collective efforts to promote and protect children’s rights. As government, we mindful of the words of Nelson Mandela saying: “We have a responsibility to create a world that is familiar with the smiles of children rather than their tears”.
It saddens us that we celebrate this day against the backdrop of increases in abuses, violence, brutal murders and rapes of our children.
In the past few weeks we have since recorded cases of children dying at the hands of their parents through poisoning, brutal assaults, brutal murders and also at the hands of their teachers, rapes and the involvement of professionals such as doctors, teachers in child trafficking and child pornography syndicates.
Something, somewhere, has indeed gone wrong with and in our society, that our children feel and receive no love and protection from the people they trust most, their parents, teachers, doctors, police, and so forth. This is the reason why as a community we have to really take a moment and reflect on ways, strategies to prevent these atrocities from continuing.
To our children, we appeal that you work with us and through us to bring all those that are perpetuating these violations to be removed from our society. These perpetrators are sick and therefore through the police and courts we will ensure that the streets of our communities and homes are safe and free from them. I urge our children to continue to speak out against these abuses. Report these abusers to someone you trust .Report even abuses that you know your friends are subjected to.
We commend the Police for the timeous investigations of these cases and the courts for the harsher sentences to these perpetrators as we have seen in the Anene Booysen case, the Diepsloot murders, the mother who poisoned her children and the breakthrough made with the Child pornography syndicate, the arrest of the teachers. We will leave no stone unturned to create a safer South African environment for our children where they will be free and protected.
All of us gathered here pledge our support to work together towards the protection, promotion and fulfilment of the rights our children.
Twenty Years into democracy, our democratic government has done a lot for our children and a lot more still to be done.
We must continue to build a South Africa where our children feel safe and secured. Our children need to access social, health, educational and recreational services.
We believe that all children, including children with disabilities should access all services in a barrier-free environment. Our department shall continue to facilitate maximum participation of children on matters that affect them and their future. We will continue to advocate for platforms to raise their views for their voice to be heard. The Children’s Parliament is but one of the Platforms for engagement with children that we are spearheading.
Just last week, we hosted a Conference for people with Albinism .Children with Albinism were represented in the conference and they also got an opportunity to state their views which were received and are going to be attended to.
We encourage nani matombazanyana na bafanyana to play with Children with disabilities, of which there are children with Albinism, to break the cycle of discrimination that children with disabilities are subjected to. Start by learning the basics of sign language to make communication easier.
We will partner with other government departments and academics and linguists, to roll out programs to develop words that will become non-discriminatory and derogatory to people with disabilities. We should know that they are human beings like us and therefore deserve the respect and dignity that we all enjoy. What we call them or identify them as goes a long way to affirm their self confidence and humanity.
All children in South Africa have Rights that are enshrined in the Constitution of the Democratic South Africa; and every right goes with a responsibility. As children you do not have the right to bully other children, to assault teachers, or violate other children’s rights. As children, you need to refrain from engaging on things that damage their lives. Drug abuse, smoking, drinking alcohol, and disrespecting adults and putting pressure on parents by making unreasonable demands are some of the things I am advising you against. Taking responsibility for the rights you have is very crucial. Those who act responsibly today will have a brighter future.
My dear children, the message I want to drive home is that you as children, are not incidental, but fundamental to the kind of a future we want you to inherit. Bringing you here in Ugu is not just an opportunity to have fun, it is also an important platform to change your life for the better. As children you also have to take responsibility and seize the opportunities provided to them. We have made it possible for you to meet your peers from other provinces, learn from each other and make friendships.
Allow me program director to announce that Cabinet has approved the reviewed National Plan of Action for Children early in the year. Collectively we need to strive towards translating the Plan into tangible action. The National Plan of Action will address key issues such as:
- Child Survival
- Child Development
- Protection and Care of the Children
- Standard of Living of the Children in South Africa.
The National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC) 2012 to 2017 commits South Africa to ensure all rights of children up to the age of 18 years as safeguarded in the South African Constitution, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, and the African Charters on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (AU). The NPAC brings together the Government of South Africa’s commitments across departments and legislative provisions into one overarching framework. Its intention is to contribute through the child rights sector to the strategic goal of South African Government i.e. “A united, democratic, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa”.
It is crucial that we invest more efforts to ensure that all children around the country are treated according to the norms set in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and all Africa’s children according to the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the Child.
In closing, I want to thank you all for having joined us in this year’s National Children’s Day. It is all our responsibility to uphold the rights of children.
I thank you.
