As South Africa commemorates Child Protection Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the safety and wellbeing of children, a recent spate of violent attacks highlights how children in the country are still often left unprotected.
Despite legislation that protects the rights of children, including the constitution, the Children’s Act and the National Plan of Action for Children, reported cases of violence against children in South Africa continue unabated, with each case seemingly more brutal than the last. Some cases don’t make it to the headlines or go unreported.
These cases highlight South Africa’s weakened protection system and lack of promotion of children’s rights. While high levels of school-related sexual violence continue to be reported, media reports also indicate an increasing number of child neglect and abuse cases by parents and their partners. These include the high-profile case of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who went missing over a year ago and whose mother was recently convicted of involvement in her kidnapping and trafficking; the “Cwecwe rape” case of a 7-year-old girl, which sparked media attention; the 8-day-old baby, Caithlyn Ferreira, who was raped and killed by her father; and Sandisa Myeza, a 15-year-old boy who was assaulted at school by another pupil.
In the last five years, nearly 3,000 children were reported missing, according to Save the Children South Africa. In November 2024, the Teddy Bear Foundation, an organization working on child abuse in South Africa, reported that of the more than 5,000 cases it dealt with between 2019 and 2024, only four percent led to convictions.
From January to March, the South African Police Service reported that 60 cases of rape were recorded at nursery schools, primary schools, high schools, and special schools. Fifty-four of these victims were students. More than half were raped by other pupils and some by teachers and acquaintances. In addition, 26,852 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported to the South African Police Service during this period.
As Child Protection Week wraps up, South African authorities should initiate urgent, sustained, and multisector interventions to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of all children, as articulated in the country’s constitution and the Children’s Act. The authorities should also scale up preventative, response, and support services for families, schools, and communities most affected by violence against children.
