NGOs urge public to speak out as government moves to criminalise baby savers
A Durban-based non-profit organisation, Open Arms SA is appealing to the community to add their comments to the Department of Social Development proposal to criminalise baby savers.
Baby savers or baby boxes are box-like structures built into walls at certain locations where a mother can leave her baby, should she not want to care for it. Inside the baby saver, is a mat with a sensor that is triggered when a baby is placed inside the box. An alert is sent to the facility that the box is attached to and within seconds, the baby is retrieved.
This weekend in Durban alone, two babies were ‘rescued’ from baby savers.
In the Durban-south area of the Bluff, a baby girl was left in the baby saver at the Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary.
Once fetched from the baby saver, the infant was seen to by a local doctor and given a clean bill of health.
Meanwhile, in Umhlali, north of the Durban CBD, a baby boy was left at a baby saver.
“A beautiful baby boy was found, warmly wrapped up in blankets. After a quick check-up by paramedics and alerting the relevant authorities, he was placed into the care of a loving family for the weekend,” explained IPSS spokesperson Samantha Meyrick.
“To his mom, thank you for the care you took in placing him in the Baby Box, for loving him enough to choose his safety during what must be a difficult time,” she added.
Baby Savers SA, a coalition of baby saver organisations across the country, said the structures have saved hundreds of lives over the years.
The Democratic Alliance’s Alexandra Abrahams said the department’s proposal will lead to more abandoned children and needless deaths across the country.
“In a deeply concerning move, the DSD has proposed redefining an ‘abandoned child’ to include any baby safely relinquished or placed in a baby saver. This would criminalise desperate mothers and the registered child protection organisations that have saved countless lives,” Abrahams said.
“We will not allow a culture in SA to exist where desperate mothers are forced to abandon their babies in unsafe locations such as fields, dumpsites and sewers, because the safe relinquishment and the operation of baby savers are criminalised,” she added.
The party further urged South Africans to submit their comment to the Department’s Children Amendment Bill, 2025, and express their objection.
Isiaiah 54 Children’s Sanctuary’s Youandi Gillian said baby savers give desperate parents a safe, last resort, anonymous option instead of unsafe abandonment, where the baby is exposed to so much danger.
“Together we can make a huge difference. Please encourage your family and friends to email as well,” she added.
How to object:
Click this link: https://share.google/lNL0OlRS1arWipM3v
Email your objection to the address provided.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL