GOVERNMENT INTENSIFIES YEAR-ROUND CHILD PROTECTION DRIVE IN EASTERN CAPE

By Precious Mupenzi

• The Department of Social Development launched the 365 Days Child Programme of Action in the Eastern Cape today, 7 June 2026.
• “Child protection is a daily responsibility that requires all of us to act every day of the year,” the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, said at the launch.
• Fourteen-year-old Luncedo Mrwebi shared his thoughts: “We do not only need food and shelter; we need love, protection, identity and hope.”

The government has pledged to intensify efforts to combat child abuse, neglect, exploitation, substance abuse and poverty in the Eastern Cape, launching a year-round programme of action aimed at strengthening child protection and support services across vulnerable communities.

The commitment was reaffirmed during the official closing of Child Protection Month and the launch of the 365 Days Child Protection Programme of Action at the Sinako Junior Secondary School in Ezibeleni, near Komane, in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality.

The launch, under the auspices of the Department of Social Development, follows a week of engagements with children, parents, caregivers, religious leaders, traditional leaders, traditional healers and community stakeholders, during which serious concerns were raised about the challenges facing children in the province.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, stressed that protecting children requires sustained action beyond commemorative campaigns.

“Today, we are not only closing Child Protection Month; we are launching the 365 Days Child Protection Programme of Action because the safety, care and protection of our children cannot be confined to a single month. Child protection is a daily responsibility that requires all of us to act every day of the year,” said Hendricks.

The deputy minister noted that the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal were deliberately selected as focal provinces for this year’s campaign due to the high prevalence of violence against children, gender-based violence and femicide.

Coordinated interventions

Violence against children remains a deeply entrenched challenge affecting children in homes, schools, communities and digital spaces, requiring coordinated interventions from all sectors of society, the deputy minister noted.

This year’s Child Protection Month campaign placed a special focus on the prevention of statutory rape, highlighting the growing threat of sexual exploitation and abuse facing children.

Through the NATJoints (National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure) approach, government departments, civil society organisations, and development partners worked together to strengthen awareness, promote responsible parenting and caregiving, encourage mandatory reporting of abuse and mobilise communities to safeguard children.

The launch of the 365 Days Child Protection Programme of Action builds on South Africa’s commitments made at the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children held in Bogotá, Colombia. The programme seeks to strengthen prevention and early intervention services, positive parenting, educational awareness and community-based interventions throughout the year.

During the reporting period, the government reached 43 744 beneficiaries through parenting and caregiver support programmes, 143 647 beneficiaries through educational awareness initiatives and 462 499 people through outreach programmes aimed at promoting positive norms and values that prevent violence against children.

Integrated intervention plan

As part of the way forward, the department will develop an integrated community-based intervention plan informed by concerns raised during engagements across the province. The plan will be implemented through community outreach programmes, school-based awareness campaigns, child protection dialogues and strengthened stakeholder partnerships.

The department continues to strengthen alternative care services for children in need of care and protection through temporary safe care, which currently includes 10 registered safety parents providing immediate, short-term care and protection to vulnerable children while long-term care arrangements are being finalised.

Additional support is provided through Child and Youth Care Centres, which are caring for 64 children, while 4 960 children are receiving support through foster care services across the province.

To further strengthen services for children and families, the department is funding 25 organisations providing child and family welfare services at a cost of more than R15-million.

In response to the growing challenge of substance abuse, the department is also funding seven substance abuse prevention programmes worth R1.525-million to prevent drug and alcohol abuse, particularly among young people and vulnerable communities.

SASSA’s support

The Eastern Cape has also been severely affected by recent disasters. Through its agencies, the Department of Social Development continues to provide relief and support to affected families.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) responds within 48 hours of reported disasters across municipalities, providing social relief interventions, including cash assistance and school uniforms, depending on the outcome of assessments conducted after each disaster incident.

In the Chris Hani District, SASSA is working with a retail partner to help eligible beneficiaries redeem Social Relief of Distress vouchers.

For the 2026/27 financial year, SASSA has budgeted approximately R6-million for Social Relief of Distress assistance, including school uniforms, benefiting vulnerable households across the district.

Through the National Development Agency (NDA), the department is responding to food insecurity and malnutrition by providing breakfast packs to vulnerable children and families, while continuing to fund Community Nutrition and Development Centres that implement poverty eradication, food security and community development programmes.

Children’s voices

The event also amplified the voices of children, who called on communities to play a more active role in protecting them.

Fourteen-year-old Luncedo Mrwebi said children need more than basic necessities to thrive.

“Children need support, guidance and opportunities to dream beyond their current circumstances. We do not only need food and shelter; we need love, protection, identity and hope. When we invest in children and young people today, we are investing in stronger communities and a brighter future for our country.”

Seventeen-year-old Siyambonga Poyi called on children and communities to break the silence around abuse.

“Child abuse must stop today. Children must be allowed to speak and be heard. We must report abuse and protect one another because silence only allows abuse to continue.”

Adding his voice to the fight against substance abuse and gender-based violence, 18-year-old Lungelo Memani urged young people to make responsible decisions and reject peer pressure.

“Stay away from drugs and alcohol because they can lead to poor choices that destroy lives. Respect girls, respect yourself and do not take advantage of anyone. Even if a girl is under the influence of alcohol, that is never consent. Learn to say no, make responsible choices and protect your future.”

The deputy minister concluded by emphasising that families remain the first line of defence in protecting children and that the government will continue intensifying family-strengthening, parenting support, prevention and early intervention programmes through more than 1 200 drop-in centres and RISIHA sites across the country.

He called on communities, parents, caregivers, faith-based organisations and traditional leaders to work together to eradicate violence against children and build safer communities for future generations.