Child safety was put under the spotlight as scores of children marched around the Bosasa temporary relocation area (TRA) in Mfuleni on Friday 6 October.
Organised by Khuseleka, a non-profit organisation (NPO) that advocates for the protection of children in the area, the aim of the march was, among other grievances, to voice their dissatisfaction over how some parents misused their government grant.
“We are facing challenges where parents are abusing their children in various ways,” said Xolani Mcoyana, the founder of Khuseleka. “Some of the parents are neglecting their children. We have cases of rape, murder misuse of child grants, among others. This year alone we have reported more than 10 cases to the police station, all relating to the children of Bosasa.”
The march kicked off from the Bosasa Youth Hub and went around the area before heading back to the hub.
Mcoyana described Bosasa as a crime-ridden place. He said Khuseleka works with other organisations to fight social ills in the community and raise awareness of gender-based violence (GBV).
He stated its mandate was to follow every case referred to them and justice prevailed.
Mcoyana appealed to parents to stop “selling” their children to their partners. “In some cases the mothers don’t report to the police for fear of losing financial support from the spouse or partner. Instead, they prefer to discuss the matter internally as the family while the child is a victim.”
Mcoyana urged parents to protect their children all the time.
One of the children, Anam Mfuzo (9), urged parents to stop harassing and abusing them. He said all they need from their parents is love. “They must stop beating us. They must buy food and nice clothes.”