Help carry the kids’ burden

With the spotlight on children and in light of Child Protection Week (30 May to 6 June), the Krugersdorp Child Protection Hotline was launched in spectacular fashion.

The News met the founder of the Child Protection Hotline, Danie van Loggerenberg, a man with a true passion for helping children and one of those in charge of looking after them.

He and local strongman, Jacques du Plessis, took turns to pull a 3 040kg Volkswagen Amarok down the busy Paardekraal Drive from Sneeuberg Avenue to NTT Volkswagen last Tuesday, 1 June. They did this to symbolise the struggles that abused women and children face, and the heavy burden they carry.

Danie explained beforehand what to expect; many people would slow down or even stop, some would hoot and take photos and videos, but no one would stop to help – much like what happens to abused women and children.

The new hotline will work with stakeholders in the community, the police and social services, and once information is received on the hotline it will be relayed to the relevant people to step in and help.

The hotline number can be contacted any time of the day, seven days a week. By simply phoning, sending a SMS or a WhatsApp message children, parents, teachers and anyone else who needs help can get it.

According to Danie they once received a message from a 13-year-old girl who was hiding under her bed while her father and his friends were drinking. She told them that once the men were done drinking they would come to abuse her, and she was hiding from them. By contacting the hotline help was called in before anything could happen to her.

“But that is just one child,” Danie said.

He also believes that education is key, and he and his team visit schools to educate learners and adults about the different types of abuse, adding that abused children can turn into abusing adults, and that children are abused by people they know.

The hotline stemmed from Danie’s own experiences when he himself was an alienated parent. He realised that parents do not always know where to turn to for help.

Most parents who are seeking help try three times and then they give up. No parent should feel like that,” he said.

They also have a strong message for bullies. Danie usually tells children that if they wanted to bully someone they should bully him.

“Even a bully gets pressure from somewhere else,” he said.

Their organisation is self-funded, therefore they are particularly grateful towards Key West Shopping Centre for offering to help sponsor the Krugersdorp hotline, and towards NTT Volkswagen that sponsored the Amarok for the occasion.

Eventually Danie was joined by Sergeant Patricia Tshifularo police officer and CPF members who helped him pull the bakkie the last few metres – a heart-warming moment showing how a community could work together to protect their children.

The last stop of the day was at the Matla Combined School where the Toys For Africa organisation, also founded by Danie, donated 80kg of instant porridge and groceries to the school.

If you need help you can contact the Krugersdorp Child Protection Hotline on 060 727 2974 or the West Rand Child Protection Hotline on 060 819 3892. Alternatively visit the Krugersdorp Child Protection Hotline Facebook page or the toysforafrica.org.za website. In addition, any suspicious activity or information can be shared with the Krugersdorp Police on 011 951 1151/ 011 951 1152/ 082 337 1293, the Crime Stop Hotline 08600 10111, the mySAPS App or via SMS 32211.

When you are hungry you phone a take-away place, so when people need help, they just have to phone us,” Danie said.