Johannesburg - Officials on Tuesday took to the bustling township of Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, to teach the residents about child safety and where to get help.
The township has in recent times seen a high number of child abuse and negligence cases and violence against women.
This prompted the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services and the National Children and Violence Trust (NCVT) to commemorate World Aids Day and the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign in the area.
NCTV senior social worker, Judith Mthombeni, who works closely with the community, on Tuesday said her organisation provides counselling to survivors of gender-based violence and child abuse.
The challenge for Diepsloot, said Mthombeni, is that it is densely populated and has a high rate of alcohol abuse.
“People are unemployed and when parents go out to look for money or food, the children are left unattended,” she said.
The abuse of children often leads to them being infected with HIV.
Speaking to SAnews, Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services Hlengiwe Mkhize said the aim of the event was to create awareness of the role information and communications technology (ICT) plays in the promotion of HIV and Aids education and prevention activities.
“This is an important day just to remind the whole world that we are at a point where we need to [get to a] zero rate [of infection]. Nobody should be infected beyond those who are already affected...”
The Deputy Minister said over years, the NCTV has been working with the community of Diepsloot with a special focus on trauma and grief counselling.
“[NCTV] also deals a lot with orphans of Aids… It is quite symbolic to come to a place like this and share with the community what government is doing for them and what can be done to prevent further cases.”
The community said there are not enough care and early childhood development (ECD) facilities for the number of children in Diepsloot.
“Most of our children are roaming the streets without care,” said one community member.
She called on government to consider building these much-needed ECD centres in the area. – SAnews.gov.za
