KZN DSD PARTNERS WITH SANTACO FOR CHILD PROTECTION

By Sfiso Xulu

• KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga announced a groundbreaking, strategic partnership between the department and the provincial SANTACO Scholar Transport.
• The announcement, made at the provincial launch of Child Protection Month, will strengthen the protection of children while they are en route to and from school.
• SANTACO KZN Scholar Transport chairperson Mandla Mvubu welcomed the initiative, stating that the taxi drivers will be empowered to make informed decisions when issues of violence against children arise.

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Mbali Shinga, today, 13 May 2025, officially launched Child Protection Month 2025 in the province by unveiling a groundbreaking partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development and SANTACO KZN Scholar Transport.

“The partnership with SANTACO (South African National Taxi Council) seeks to ensure and strengthen the protection of children while en route to and from school under the care of SANTACO KZN Scholar Transport drivers,” MCE Shinga noted.

During the official launch of Child Protection Month 2025 under the theme “Working together in ending violence against children”, the MEC gave details on the integrated programmes and activities taking place during the month.

She also highlighted the weekly themes being used during the implementation of prevention and early intervention programmes that are intended to fight the scourge of violence and crimes against children, with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development’s new strategic partner and other stakeholders providing child care and protection services.

The violence perpetuated against children in South Africa continues to have a negative impact on children and families.

Evidence suggests that the rates of abuse are at an alarming rate, with the most prevalent ones in KwaZulu-Natal being sexual assault, followed by deliberate neglect, and then physical abuse – all of which allegedly happens at the hands of parents or caregivers or within the family environment.

Violence also harms families across generations, as well as across communities, and constitutes one of the key drivers of the HIV pandemic in the country.

The MEC added that one of the areas of collaboration and partnership between the provincial Department of Social Development and SANTACO KZN Scholar Transport is that of scholar transport taxis playing the role of ambassadors for the department through sharing educational awareness and information intended to empower communities and the public on matters pertaining to the care, protection and support of children.

The MEC showed the branded KZN Scholar Transport taxis carrying advocacy messaging, which will assist in strengthening the protection of children by parents and caregivers, as well as families and the communities at large.

Chairperson for SANTACO KZN Scholar Transport, Mandla Mvubu, said the organisation fully supports the initiative of strengthening the protection of children and ending violence against children.

“We welcome the initiative of the department to collaborate with us, as we are the custodians of scholar transport and this initiative will empower us to make informed decisions when issues of violence against children arise,” Mvubu said.

The chairperson added that the initiative has seen drivers across the districts getting first aid training, which will add value to the drivers’ skills and provide care to the end users of the transport – the children.