Johannesburg - The Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities has commissioned a study to investigate the causes of child murders.
According to Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, the study will help the department build the profile of a child murderer and provide information that could shape further intervention in dealing with the social ill.
"The study and other literature will assist the department to isolate common factors that might be contributing to the horrible incidents of child murders," Ms Mayende-Sibiya said.
The study is expected to involve interviews with offenders currently serving time for murdering a child. Its outcomes will be released to the public and relevant stakeholders as soon as all the report compilation and verification process is finalised.
The minister on Thursday held her first meeting with children stakeholders to develop a plan for the next five years and to address challenges such as the high incidence of child killings.
"We want to find ways to stop these killings and a way on how best can we deal with the perpetrators and protect our children so that they grow up in a loving environment," the minister said.
She further called parents to also get more involved in the prevention of children murders as most incidents, especially in Western Cape, suggest that many incidents of rape and murder of children were committed by people known to the children and their families.
"Perpetrators must be brought to book and penalties must be stiff, we will send the message and make an example on what happens to them [culprits] when found guilty.
"We need many voices saying that the violation of children, would be a thing of the past," warned Ms Mayende-Sibiya.
The minister supported the re-establishment of a specialised police unit to deal with cases affecting children and women. She said this would mobilise the necessary expertise within the police and improve arrest and conviction rate of crimes affecting women and children.
"The formation of such police units is going to be yet another demonstration of this government's commitment, we need to act swiftly to prevent theses cases and ensure that culprits face the full might of the law," the minister said.
Last week, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said government would review its decision on the closure of specialised units such as the Child Protection Unit and Sexual Offences Unit.
The units were devolved to local police stations in 2006, with government saying then that increased oversight of their work strengthened their provision of services to communities.
