Children allegedly removed without a court order

WHITE RIVER – Twenty children have apparently been removed from Mama Esther’s Safe Haven without a court order.  On Wednesday morning, members of the safe haven’s board, Mama Esther Nkosi and her attorney Mr Jonothan Jacobs, were supposed to have a meeting with the Department of Social Development’s spokesman, Mr Ronnie Masilela, regarding the removal of the children.  Nkosi said the social workers had taken most of the younger children.

Due to a national strike by Nehawu members at the offices of the department, the meeting was moved to another location. Masilela failed to appear but contacted the board telephonically.
Jacobs said he was made aware that the department had no court order to remove the children from the haven.

“I have sent them a letter requesting the children be returned to the haven within seven days as they had no formal court order,” said Jacobs.  The department claims that the centre, which houses about 80 children, does not adhere to certain conditions stipulated nationally for children’s safe havens.
Masilela said the centre did not have a board of directors. “This is not a matter of money. There is no board at the centre, there must be a secretary, chairman and treasurer,” said Masilela.
“The community must be involved. One person cannot fill all those positions in a board.”

Lowvelder met some of the members of the board. Ms Zodwa Magulego, Mr Albert Neuhutalu and Ms Muriam Hampton. Regarding how the children were taken to the centre in the first place, Masilela explained that their department was investigating how the children arrived there. “We have found some parents who were looking for their children who were at the centre.  “We have now reunited them.” He said a safe haven should be the last option after a serious offense.

“The manner in which the children were placed was incorrect. We heard she would sometimes get a child on her doorstep in the early hours of the morning.  “The correct procedure then is to immediately take that child to a social worker and work through a court. When it goes through a court system, the magistrate decides where the child must be placed,” said Masilela.

He said this procedure was important to find out if the kid had parents or family members.
“Investigations need to be done to determined whether a child needs to be placed in a place like that.”
He said there should be serious conditions before a child can be sent to a safe haven.  Nkosi stated that social workers and the police had brought the children to her over the years. “I do not know where my children are and if they are safe,” she concluded.

Read more here: Safe haven is in urgent need