Efforts to fight child abuse reach east
“Talking about gender-based violence and violence against children will never be enough without action. Our new initiative will offer help and hope to victims,” Loggerenberg said.
The east of Pretoria now has its own dedicated Toys for Africa child protection hotline for children to report abuse to authorities.
This specialised hotline for the east was launched on Thursday, at the Waterkloof Corner shopping centre.
The hotline was started in Centurion last year, and then taken to Central Pretoria months later.
“The number will work on the same basis as the current Pretoria child protection hotline,” said Toys for Africa founder Danie van Loggerenberg.
“But it is part of our sub-dividing the load of messages and calls received to the new Pretoria east, Pretoria west and Pretoria north numbers.
“We needed to differentiate between a Pretoria north, east and west calls.”
A message or tip-off of a child who may be in possible danger or being abused can be sent to 060-562-8043.
Toys for Africa would send the information on to the relevant authorities, be it the SAPS or the department of social development and, depending on the situation, an emergency response unit.
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In the east of Pretoria, the organisation has partnered with various law firms and attorneys who will assist children who meet the means test criteria, pro bono.
Jaco Hills, from Hills Incorporated law firm, said the means test would look at each matter pertaining the child specifically and the parents to consider whether or not they were able to attend to payment of legal fees, diligently.
“Should the parents not be able to attend to our legal fees after a means test has been concluded, they will qualify for the Hills Incorporated pro bono scheme,” he said.
Hills, a father himself, said there was a need to have the legal fraternity involved in such causes.
“Firstly, we are officers of the court, which means we are on standby 24 hours, and we render professional services throughout the day,” he said.
“We want to make a difference.”
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Loggerenberg said the Pretoria number would still be in service for the Arcadia, Sunnyside and other central parts of the metropolitan.
He said the north and west contact details would be unveiled in the coming weeks.
To date over 455 700 children have benefited from the hotline.
“Talking about gender-based violence and violence against children will never be enough without action. Our new initiative will offer help and hope to victims,” Loggerenberg said.
Important contact numbers
Pretoria east childline: 060-562-8043
Centurion childline: 071-192-0569
Pretoria Central childline: 060-808-2261
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