Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, MECs, members and comrades, all human beings have certain basic needs. Among these are the need for shelter, security and food. Children, as the most vulnerable group of society, need to feel safe and grounded. This, along with the basic need for food, shelter and health care, gives children the roots for healthy growth and development. Therefore the support of their parents and society as a whole is critical.
Nonetheless, deepening child poverty, children going to school on empty stomachs, child welfare services struggling to sustain their critical services and high levels of child abuse suggest that we need to pay a lot more attention to our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. The status of children not only serves as a test of our society's morality but also provides a glimpse into our future.
More than 10% of children in South Africa are orphaned.