Gauteng Social Development MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza has issued a notice to close an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre, where two-year-old baby Bohlale Mngomezulu died earlier this month.
MEC Mayathula-Khoza said the decision to close the Little Sunshine Day Care Centre in Sharpeville, Sedibeng, was that the ECD was unregistered with the department to offer child care and education, as per the provisions of the Children’s Act.
The centre did not comply with the municipal by-laws and its infrastructure was not completely suitable for the care of children.
“We will serve the notice on them within seven days and then commence with the relocation of children to nearby ECDs before we move them to a new prototype centre that we have built in this community,” MEC Mayathula-Khoza said on Wednesday.
MEC Mayathula-Khoza also announced that the department will further assist the Mngomezulu family with legal processes to ensure that they find the truth and redress.
“The Gauteng Department of Social Development has made available a team of social workers to assess the family’s needs as part of the healing processes. Psycho-social support will be extended to the learners and educators who witnessed the incident as the boy is said to have suffered seizures and died whilst in class.
“We would like to call on all unregistered centres to approach the department so that they can be assisted and be empowered on the ECD norms and standards while the registration process is underway. ECDs that continued to receive support and guidance from the department, but unreasonably fail to meet the required standard will face possible closure as per the provisions of the Children’s Act,” MEC Mayathula-Khoza said.
Circumstances surrounding the death of the child remain unknown and police investigations are underway. – SAnews.gov.za
