In a landmark decision, the Western Cape Legislature has unanimously adopted the report from the Standing Committee on Social Development regarding the Child Protection Multi-Stakeholder Engagement. This significant milestone underscores the legislature’s commitment to tackling the ongoing child protection crisis within the province and marks a vital advancement in safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of Western Cape’s most vulnerable citizens — its children.

Establishment of the Ad-hoc Committee

One of the primary resolutions emanating from the report, introduced by the Democratic Alliance (DA), is the establishment of an Ad-hoc Committee under Rule 119 of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP).

“The House will soon debate a motion concerning the formal formation of this Committee, emphasising the lawmakers’ fundamental duty to pursue meaningful legislative reforms that ensure the safety and protection of children,” said a spokesperson. “The report’s adoption is a crucial step in a larger mission to instigate systemic reform, improve intersectoral collaboration, and maintain the security and rights of children as a foremost provincial priority.”

Urgent need for reform

The two-day dialogue convened key stakeholders from the government, civil society, academia, and regulatory bodies to critically evaluate the current status of child protection. The engagement was catalysed by alarming findings revealing that only 4% of over 5,000 reported child abuse cases between 2019 and 2024 resulted in convictions. Additionally, there are currently over 42,000 children within the foster care system in the Western Cape, highlighting the urgent need for improved coordination, legislative modification, and more robust enforcement mechanisms to combat child abuse, neglect, trafficking, and inadequate disability-inclusive services in the child protection and criminal justice layers.

Focus areas of the new committee

The newly proposed Ad-hoc Committee on Child Protection Reform will lead thorough oversight, policy advancement, and legislative recommendations focusing on six key areas:

1. Intersectoral coordination and governance
2. Prevention, early intervention, and community-based services
3. Inclusive and disability-sensitive child protection
4. Child identity, legal documentation, and trafficking
5. Therapeutic and mental health services for children
6. Oversight, monitoring, and legislative reform

A collective responsibility

Wendy Kaizer-Philander, MPP and DA Western Cape spokesperson on Social Development, stated, “This initiative reflects our shared understanding that child protection is not the mandate of one entity alone, but a collective responsibility requiring sustained collaboration between government, civil society, communities, and families.”

The DA in the Western Cape has pledged to prioritise child protection within the province’s social development agenda. Leaders believe that this movement transcends policy necessity—it embodies a moral obligation to the community’s most vulnerable members.

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