DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHENS CHILD PROTECTION EFFORTS IN NELSON MANDELA BAY

By Staff Reporter.

• The Eastern Cape reported 2,884 cases of child abuse and more than 12,400 teenage pregnancies in 2024/25, underscoring the urgency of prevention measures.
• The Department of Social Development launched a year-round Child Protection Programme to enhance protection systems and interventions.
• South Africa’s national and international commitments, such as the Bogotá pledge and the 90 Days National Response Plan, support efforts to address violence against children.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) will host an Educational Awareness Programme on the prevention of child sexual abuse in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Eastern Cape. This initiative takes place against the backdrop of concerning child protection challenges observed nationwide, including in the Eastern Cape.

During the 2024/25 financial year, the Eastern Cape recorded 2,884 cases of child abuse. These included 230 cases of physical abuse, 917 of sexual abuse, 217 of emotional abuse, 866 of deliberate neglect, and 47 of abandonment. Teenage pregnancies are also a cause for concern, with 94 children between the ages of 10 and 14 and 12,326 young people aged 15 to 19 reported as pregnant during the same period.

These figures highlight the importance of strengthening prevention efforts, expanding access to education and support services, and empowering young girls to make informed choices about their futures.

The Department recognises that violence against children cannot be addressed in isolation. It requires intensified prevention and early intervention programmes that target risk factors at individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. To this end, DSD has adopted the 365 Days Child Protection Programme of Action, which aims to systematically address violence against children, implement protective interventions, and strengthen the care and protection system.

This work reinforces South Africa’s international commitments, including the pledge made in Bogotá, Colombia, in November 2024 to end violence against children. The awareness programme also forms part of the 90 Days National Response Plan, which seeks to intensify efforts to tackle child abuse and safeguard children nationwide.