Children standing up for children in KwaDukuza

The rising number of child abuse cases in KwaDukuza saw the Amaqhawe early childhood development association take to the streets last Friday in support of Child Protection Week, May 27 to June 3.

Pupils from 38 creches in Doringkop and numerous KwaDukuza townships, including Ithembe Labasha in Shaka’s Head, took to the road nearest their creche and demonstrated with placards printed with messages against abuse.

“We deal with children almost every day and we see that child abuse is still there and it is high.

“We thought we had to do something,” said Amaqhawe chairperson Sinikiwe Tshangase.

Also read: Child Protection Week: It’s much easier to abduct a child than you think

Tshangase said the other pressing issue was that even though some of the teachers report abuse cases anonymously, they end up being called to testify in court.

“Now that makes other teachers scared to report abuse cases because after a teacher has testified, safety cannot be guaranteed.

“So we need to find a new strategy that will protect the teachers and help the children if they are being abused,” she said.

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