The discovery of four-year-old Shaynice Talla’s lifeless body in a stormwater drain at the koppie in Extension Two last year had the community in an uproar. Subsequent investigations into the infant’s death revealed that a close family member was responsible for committing a deed so cruel that many Eldorado Park residents were baying for the perpetrator’s blood.
The disappearance earlier this year of Liyaqat Mentoor (3) and from the Roodekrans, Roodepoort home he shared with with his mother and her boyfriend, is a glaring example of the many cases of abuse South African children suffer daily.
National Child Protection Week started on May 27 and will end on Monday 2 June and aims to highlight the plight of children in our communities, our country and the world. Sadly, many cases of child abuse are unreported and abusers escape punishment.
Cheryl Pillay from the Local Drug Action Committee (LDAC), is leading this year’s campaign and said that the initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting children.
“Every week should be Child Protection Week. We want to send out a strong message and make it known that we will not tolerate abuse and neglect,” said Pillay. She added that there has been one child too many that has been killed or brutally traumatised for life.
Residents came out to support the initiative by gathering at the Eldorado Park Police Station to sign a pledge vowing to protect children. Pillay added, “As a community and as stakeholders, we are taking this pledge today saying that we will work around the clock to ensure the safety of our children- not just for this week but every day of the year.”
Parents carrying posters and placards chanted, ‘One child too many’ before being addressed by Pillay and brigadier Pieter Van Dyk of the Eldorado Park police, who thanked the community for their support and vowed to make sure that the campaign will be a success.
This week will give the community a chance to recognise and discuss issues affecting children. Keeping children safe not only includes physical protection, but protection from emotional and mental abuse as well. The campaign will continue throughout the week as residents picket at the traffic lights at the intersection of the Main Road and the Golden Highway.
Pillay and the LDAC team will conduct school visits in Eldorado Park to educate children about their rights in an endeavour to curb this disturbing trend. “We need to bring back Ubuntu, my child is yours and your child is mine,” said Pillay.
