Child protection advocates have questioned Gauteng MEC for Social Development Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko’s proposal to create a safe place for children in every ward, arguing that existing child protection services were already struggling and in need of urgent attention.
Speaking a week ago, during the Children’s Walk held as part of Child Protection Month, Nkomo-Ralehoko called for every ward in Gauteng to have a place where children can seek help, protection and support when faced with abuse or any form of harm.
“We must build communities where children feel safe, supported and heard. Our vision is for every ward to have a place of safety where children can find protection and access services whenever they are at risk,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
However, speaking to Our City News, Whitney Rosenberg of Baby Savers South Africa questioned whether the Department is capable of delivering on such an ambitious commitment, arguing that existing child protection systems were already under severe strain.
“There is an obvious need for these safe spaces. But the irony is that the Gauteng Department of Social Development is also calling for the closure of Child and Youth Care Centres so that all orphans can be placed in foster families. We have nowhere near enough foster families to care for all the millions of orphans and hundreds of thousands of children currently in institutions,” Rosenberg said.
She said it was contradictory for the government to speak about creating more places of safety while organisations that already provide safe spaces for vulnerable children continue to face funding pressures.
“So it amazes me that they are attempting to create more safe spaces while at the same time getting rid of organisations that provide safe spaces by cutting funding and creating challenges for child care organisations,” she said.
Rosenberg also questioned whether the province currently has the resources necessary to implement such a large-scale initiative.
“They report not having supplies for children, not knowing what procedures to follow in certain situations, and dealing with overwhelming caseloads. To implement a province-wide programme with safe places for children is very ambitious and will require significant funding, staffing, and training,” she said.
According to Rosenberg, the challenge was not simply employing more social workers but ensuring they were properly trained and equipped to deal with complex child protection cases.
She believes the government should prioritise strengthening existing child protection services before launching new initiatives.
“The existing services are crumbling, to say the least. We need those strengthened before implementing something new and placing more pressure on an already struggling system,” she said.
Rosenberg was equally sceptical about whether the proposal would ever move beyond a public commitment.
“This risks becoming yet another commitment that remains an empty promise and never reaches fruition because of the current state of the child protection system,” said Rosenberg.
In response to the criticism, the Gauteng Department of Social Development insisted that the MEC’s vision had been widely misunderstood.
The Department stressed that a “safe space” should not be interpreted as a new government-owned facility being built in every ward.
Instead, officials said the concept refers to an integrated network of services, programmes, and facilities already operating within communities.
According to the Department, safe spaces could include schools, libraries, community centres, youth centres, Early Childhood Development centres, Child and Youth Care Centres, faith-based facilities, sports facilities, police victim support rooms, Thuthuzela Care Centres and programmes run by non-governmental organisations.
“The vision of ensuring a safe space in every ward should therefore be understood as a progressive process of strengthening and integrating existing community assets and services rather than constructing a new Social Development facility in every ward,” the Department said.
The Department further rejected suggestions that the initiative would require a dedicated new budget.
“The creation of safe spaces is not solely dependent on new infrastructure,” the Department said.
The Department also argued that responsibility for child protection extends beyond social workers.
Nkomo-Ralehoko’s comments came against the backdrop of ongoing concerns over child abuse and violence in Gauteng, with advocacy groups continuing to call for greater investment in prevention programmes, social work services, and support structures for vulnerable children.
This story is produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom serving the people of Johannesburg.
Mandisa Ndlovu
www.ewn.co.za
