The North West provincial Department of Social Development has received information indicating that about 96 undocumented children had been arrested and are detained as part of the illegal miners at Stilfontein.
“Most of the illicit miners, including undocumented children, are suspected to be originating from SADC countries, namely Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho,” said social development spokesperson, Bathembu Futshane.
He highlighted that the Department of Social Development, in terms of the Constitution of South Africa, the Children’s Act, Child Justice Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is mandated to protect the rights of children.
Based on the outcomes of the court proceedings, Futshane said the department will seek to place all identified and legally declared undocumented children in accommodation, and provide for their basic needs, while they are still waiting to be processed in terms of the Child Justice Act.
“The court will, in terms of the provisions of the Child Justice Act, formally charge the children while they are placed in the safety of the facilities of the department. The department has identified cultural mediation to assist in translation as language was identified as a barrier,” he said.
Furthermore, Futshane said the department has engaged the embassy of Zimbabwe and the High Commission of Mozambique in South Africa for the issuance of repatriation certificate /travel documents.
“Health services have been provided to the children to ensure that they are healthy and that their rights were not violated. During this period of processing, the department will as part of its child protection services conduct a comprehensive assessment to ascertain if they are indeed children who are in need of care and protection,” said Futshane.
He added that the department will continue to provide the necessary support until the repatriation process is concluded.
On Monday, IOL reported that a 14-year-old boy was among the group of 14 illegal miners who were detained by police after they emerged from the disused mines at Stilfontein in North West.
The illegal miners, colloquially known as zama zamas, have been holed up underground for months following the arrival of police as part of Operation Vala Umgodi.
IOL