House Chairperson, hon Acting President, and members, today, as we are observing International Children's Day, I am calling on the government to do more to protect the children of South Africa.
Every day we hear how the most vulnerable of our society, our children, are abused and neglected. Just last week, the television programme Carte Blanche revealed some shocking footage about the plight of babies and small children who are traded as commodities by unscrupulous and heartless adults who use the them to elicit sympathy from motorists while standing on street corners begging.
Inhliziyo yami iba buhlungu uma ngibona lento. [My heart aches when I see such things.]
The investigation by Elsabe Coetzee of Siphumelele Children's Home for abandoned and orphaned children in Johannesburg, revealed the "rent a baby" scheme, where they were being rented out at R20 per day to professional beggars. Some of the children were doped to keep them passive if they were not already suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion.
The programme found that one little girl had had her toes burnt off, she was deliberately maimed, so that she would remain passive and not crawl. Some mothers who were returning to Zimbabwe were selling off unwanted babies at about R20 000 to raise cash! Are children commodities to be sold, either for muti or as begging accessories? What depravity or desperation would drive people to do that?
That was a shocking indictment on us as South Africans who pride ourselves on having an outstanding liberal democratic Constitution and on being the leaders in the human rights field in Africa. This is a crime against international law. Helpless children are being sold into servitude. Dare we call it slavery?
Why was it that this brave human rights activist was not able to persuade the authorities to raise the alarm about this shameful practice? Where is our humanity? Where is our ubuntu? And yet we regularly launch our campaigns of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, with much fanfare and many T-shirts and caps. This is a sham. What happens to women and children for the rest of the year?
Let me quote an extract from the United Nations Children's Fund of 1997:
The day will come when nations will be judged neither by their military or economic strength nor by the splendour of their capital cities and public buildings or stadia, but by the well being of their people and by the protection that is afforded to the growing minds and bodies of their children.
Section 28 of our Constitution provides for additional protection, tailor- made for our vulnerable children, amongst other things, protection against abuse and neglect.
Now there is some light at the end of the tunnel because we do have the right legislation in place that can protect our children. The Children's Act is appropriate and empowering, and in harmony with international law and the various international conventions that have been ratified by South Africa. However, an Act is only as strong as its practical implementation.
To quote the well-known authors and practitioners, Hester Bosman-Sadie and Lesley Corrie:
Knowledgeable legal practitioners, social workers, social service professionals, education and health professionals will be required for the many services envisioned in the Act. The political will and the availability of funds will have a great impact on the efficacy of the Act.
Also, from the SA Law Commission:
The African Charter blends children's rights with respect for family and community. Looking at the number of children removed from their families, abandoned or orphaned and poverty, drug and alcohol abuse that tears families apart, legislation is no more than the end of the beginning of the war against harm to children.
South Africa has a sound legal framework. The only problem is the implementation.
Let us reflect on what we, as leaders in our communities, as mothers, fathers, gogos [grandmothers] and, yes, grandfathers, are doing to stop the abuse of children and to make sure that the laws are implemented, that the funds are made available. Do we have the political will to make a change, and to put the money where our mouths are? Bills and their implementation should be properly costed. We need closer co- operation between the police, social workers, magistrate's courts, community workers and the general public. Special training, skills and counselling need to be given to the police to help prepare them to deal better with the problems they encounter.
The old saying that it takes a village to raise a child must become a reality. We must not become silent partners of this disease of child abuse and neglect. Let us become proud, caring South African legislators. [Applause.]