NW SOCIAL WORKERS REPATRIATE 27 CHILDREN TRAFFICKED FROM MOZAMBIQUE

• Teenagers who resurfaced from Stilfontein’s abandoned mines more than a month ago are being repatriated to Mozambique.
• The 27 boys were housed in temporary safe care by the North West Department of Social Development while they awaited the repatriation process.
• The children are to be handed over to Mozambican social workers at the Lebombo border near Komatiepoort today, Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

Twenty-seven teenage boys from Mozambique are being repatriating back home by the North West Department of Social Development after they resurfaced from Stilfontein’s unused mines more than a month ago.

Of the 27 undocumented children, 15 were found by the police in Matlosana, and 12 others resurfaced from the abandoned mines and were placed in a temporary safe care in the capital Mahikeng for two weeks.

The minors were allegedly involved in illegal mining activities at Stilfontein in the Matlosana Local Municipality. Their placement in temporary safe care by the department is in line with the provisions of Children’s Act, which mandates social workers or police officials to remove a child who is in danger and place them in temporary safe care.

On Tuesday, 17 December 2024, social workers managing the case set out to repatriate the children to the Lebombo border, three kilometres from Komatiepoort, Mpumalanga, with a police escort. This followed permission granted by the court to release the children from their place of safety and allow them to be repatriated. They will be handed over to the Department of Social Development’s counterparts in Mozambique, who will then reunify the children with their parents. 

This was made possible after the Mozambican Consulate issued the youngsters with temporary travel documents and allowed a care-to-care process between the social development departments of the two countries. This was facilitated by the Department of Social Development and International Social Workers Services.

The children will be handed over to social workers at the Lebombo border today, Tuesday, 17 December 2024.

The MEC for Social Development in the North West, Basetsana Sussana Dantjie, expressed her profound thanks to her departmental team led by acting Head of Department Dr Fezile Ngqobe for arranging temporary safe care for children and also working around the clock to repatriate the children to their country of origin.

“We thank all the stakeholders who came forward and played a critical role in ensuring that these children receive the necessary care and protection. We also thank the Mozambican Consulate for speeding up the process of repatriation,” Dantjie said, as the children set out to the Lebombo border.

Her department, together with its stakeholders, is ready to provide similar services to other children who may resurface from the old gold mines in Stilfontein. Dantjie added.

 Issued by North West Department of Social Development

For interviews:  Call Departmental Spokesperson – Petrus Siko

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Email: psiko@nwpg.gov.za

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