‘Home of death’ under scrutiny in KZN

In July 2016, eight boys tragically lost their lives following a fire which destroyed part of the Lakehaven Child and Youth Centre cottage, Rising Sun Overport reports.

The boys, aged eight to 21, were asleep in a cottage when the fire broke out after 1am.

The home has again come under the spotlight following a report tabled at the KwaZulu-Natal Social Development Portfolio Committee sitting that revealed that the centre had only fully met two compliance norms and standards out of 30, with 17 being partially compliant and 11 non-compliant.

The report focused on whether the Sea Cow Lake-based home had complied with the norms and standards for child and youth care centres.

Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi’s spokesperson, Ncumisa Ndelu, said the investigation focused on compliance, non-compliance and partial compliance.

“Following the investigations, the facility was briefed on the non-compliance. They then committed to come up with a turn-around strategy. I am not sure how far they are with that process,” said Ndelu.

DA spokeswoman for Social Development, Sharon Hoosen, who sits in the portfolio committee in the Legislature said, “Issues of poor environment and facilities for women, children and senior citizens were always brought to the attention of MEC Thusi who has been slow to react.  This situation exists in several institutions across our province and unfortunately only when tragic incidents and loss of life occur, do you find the department taking preventative action. This is a little to late. The MEC must come clean and inform the community of whether the Lakehaven Children’s Home in its current status, has the best interests of the children at this facility and what urgent interventions has the department done to assist this facility to become compliant.

Children’s homes provide a home for physically and mentally abused children, therefore matters relating to compliance must be attended to as a matter of urgency and stop with delay tactics. We cannot wait another two years before some progress is made. The community and the families affected deserve to know what was the cause of the fire? What were the full list of non compliance? What is the current status of the compliance at this centre and whether it is safe enough to children to be housed at this facility? We cannot afford another incident, at the cost of more innocent lives.”

Following the report by the department, some media reports have labeled the facility as a ‘death trap’ waiting for disaster to happen.

Responding to the allegations of ‘death trap’, the interim executive director of Child Welfare Durban and District (CWDD), Firdose Moola, said, “Lakehaven CYCC is not a “Death Trap” and should not be labelled or regarded as one. We currently have children residing at the facility and love being at Lakehaven CYCC.  Creating this label or unnecessary negative spotlight will impact on the well-being of the children currently residing at Lakehaven. It is a beautiful and safe facility and it is in line with the norms and standards of child and youth care centres of the Childrens Act 38 of 2005.”

Speaking to the Rising Sun about the non-compliance report, Moola said the investigation did not take into consideration that the buildings were built long before changes were made to the standards set out by the Children’s Act 38 or 2005.

“The Department of Social Development also took into account children with special needs which did not apply to Lakehaven as Lakehaven is not registered to admit young people that are differentiable able. However, in light of the shortcomings we at CWDD appreciate and acknowledge the DSD findings and this in turn will assist in maintaining and improving service delivery,” she said.

She added that CWDD safety measures and compliance of CYCC’S norms and standards were addressed prior to the investigation findings by their own internal monitoring mechanisms.

“We are pleased to inform the community that since the fire in July 2016, CWDD has been proactive and implemented strategic measures in ensuring the safety and well-being of staff and young people at the facility and can assure that based on the norms and standards for Child and Youth Care Centres of the Children’s Act No 38 of 2005 we are compliant. Going forward we will continue to implement internal audits to ensure safety and services are fully compliant and maintained,” she said.