Alarming rise in child abandonment in South Africa
According to Door of Hope, 2023 saw 88 reported cases of abandoned infants, with 59 of these babies found dead.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/110/2024/09/baby-6823431_1920-780x470.jpg)
The issue of child abandonment in South Africa is reaching alarming levels, with non-profit organisations and government agencies reporting a surge in cases.
According to Door of Hope, a non-profit organisation focused on rescuing abandoned babies, 2023 saw 88 reported cases of abandoned infants, with 59 of these babies found dead. The organisation expects the numbers to rise further by the end of 2024.
“There have been 70 cases of babies found abandoned unsafely this year alone, with 41 of them found dead. These are just the cases we know about, but there are likely more that haven’t been discovered,” says Nadene Grabham, operations director at Door of Hope.
For every baby found alive, two are found dead.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) has acknowledged the severity of the problem.
Read the full article in The Witness.
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