MEC rescues 45 children from shady crèche built at old Sharpeville graveyard

Gauteng social development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza has moved 45 children from a “health hazard corrugated iron” early childhood centre located at an old gravesite in Sharpeville.

On Wednesday, Mayathula-Khoza said the Good News Children’s centre was situated on the edge of a graveyard, dubbed ‘Hlala Kwabafileyo’ after a television drama series of the same name.

“It accommodated toddlers aged between 18 months to 6 years old. It was first spotted in December last year. Gauteng Premier David Makhura, after hearing about it, ordered it shut,” she said.

The centre was shut last month and the children moved to Tswelopele Primary School.

Mayathula-Khoza said: “It is not so much that the centre was not registered or run by unqualified practitioners. It was run from unsuitable and dangerous premises.

“It was found to be noncompliant to offer childcare and education as per the provisions of the Children’s Act, as it did not comply with the municipal bylaws, mainly because of its infrastructure that was not suitable for the care of children.”

She said the department was indebted to the principal and the school governing body of the Tswelopele school for space.

“We are very grateful to the school and our team of social workers will work with the ECD manager to ensure that once they are settled at Tswelopele Primary School, must start to get their papers in order,” she said.

In August last year, another childcare centre in Sharpeville was ordered to shut its doors following the death of a two-year-old baby, Bohlale Mngomezulu.

Mayathula-Khoza said at the time the Little Sunshine daycare centre was not registered with her department to offer childcare and education as per the provisions of the Children’s Act.

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