Western Cape Social Development MEC Albert Fritz urges parents and caregivers to take the necessary precautions to ensure children’s safety over the festive season.

Director of Philisa Abafazi Bethu Lucinda Evans said keeping children safe can become a bit challenging in areas with limited resources which often leads to children venturing to beaches and pools, without adult supervision.

Evans said children as young as six years old often walk  to their nearest beach without parental supervision and without informing parents or caregivers.

“In the past 3 years, three drownings have been reported whenever children roam around at beaches unsupervised. Last year we found two children aged six and seven at the beach without their parents and when we called the parents, they had no idea where their kids were,” she stated.

Western Cape Social Development MEC Albert Fritz said during this time of year they receive many cases of child abandonment and children going missing.

“Most of the cases that are reported are often caused by children being left alone, and parents abusing substances, including alcohol and narcotics. In turn, they neglect their duty of care towards children,” he said.

Recent child protection statistics reveal that between April 2017 and March 2018, 38 cases of child abandonment cases were reported  in the Western Cape. The period with the highest number of missing children was between October and December 2017, with 13 cases of child abandonment.

Evans said if children go missing, parents should report it immediately.

“The longer you wait, the less likely it is that you will find your child. The first 24 to 48 hours are crucial in finding a child,” said Evans.

In a statement Fritz said that children should also have a list of emergency contact numbers saved on their cellphones and available at home near the telephone.

“These numbers should include the local police station, emergency medical service, the emergency number for your neighbourhood watch, a trusted neighbour, and your private security company. Before visiting public spaces such as shopping malls, your children should know their vital information, including full names, home address and the contact details of one of their parents,” he stressed.

Evans said they have received some cases where parents forget their children on the beach. she said in such instances the Police are mandated to open cases of Neglect against the parents.

“My Child Protection team is ready. We need to protect our children, there is no excuses for parents that forgets to parent during the festive season,” she said.