14 Sep 2023

Parents and guardians have been criticised for neglecting their children, thereby exposing them to sexual violence.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Kasane on Wednesday, Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Mabuse Pule said a child under no guardian care was more vulnerable than the one taken cared of.

He indicated that it was imperative that parents practiced caution at all times and protect their children.

Mr Pule said some of sex offenders lived within the community plot for an opportunity to pounce on the children as they grew.

The minister said Children’s Act provided that children should be protected against injustices that may be inflicted by family members or any person from the community.

He said it was everyone’s responsibility to report any act of violence committed against a child, failure of which was punishable by law.

Mr Pule pointed out that Chobe District had registered a total of 31 cases of violence against children from January to date.

He indicated that police stations and healthcare centres offered child friendly services to allow children to report and express themselves in a free manner.

He said the facilities were capacitated with qualified professional who were trained to address and assist children in an appropriate manner and setting.

“We are raising children who carry trauma from the past and these are the people who will be wives and husbands who believe that inflicting pain on their spouses is normal,” said Mr Pule.

In his remarks, Kasane court president, Kgosi Thuso Wasetso said the justice system took long to solve children’s cases which led to distortion of the evidence and the legitimacy of the cases as some of the victims grow up and interact with their offenders.

He said a child Pitso was conducted in the Chobe District in April, where children raised concerns that consultations were lacking on the part of the adults when it came to issues pertaining to children upbringing and rights.

Kgosi Wasetso stated that the district lacked places of safety for abuse victims, noting that it was important for victims to be separated from their abusers as some could cause further harm.

He commended government for introducing child friendly services at police stations and health facilities.

Kasane VDC chairperson, Ms Gladys Motho stated that children’s lawlessness was alarming in Kasane as children indulged in drug and alcohol abuse.

This, she said, resulted in the decline of academic performance as learners  progressed to higher levels where learners go exposed to elicit drugs.

Ms Motho expressed worry with the trend of drinking by underaged children, noting that it was evident that such children acquired drugs from elders as they did not have money to buy nor were they allowed access into alcohol selling outlets. Ends