WESTERN CAPE – As South Africa observes Child Protection Week 2026, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape has reiterated that the safety and well-being of children must remain a top provincial priority.
Recent oversight engagements by the ad-hoc committee on Child Protection Reform in the Saldanha Bay area raised serious concerns regarding delays in foster-care placements, pressure on front-line social workers and gaps in child protection services, the DA said in a statement this week.
These challenges place vulnerable children at greater risk and highlight the importance of strengthening support systems across the province, they said.
Interventions intensified
The party has welcomed targeted interventions currently being implemented by the Western Cape Department of Social Development to improve child protection services and ensure continuity of care for vulnerable children.
These interventions include increased funding allocations to NGOs for the 2026-’27 financial year, enhanced monitoring and evaluation visits and the introduction of unannounced oversight visits to strengthen accountability and service delivery.
The department is also implementing measures to reduce delays in foster-care placements through the recruitment and vetting of safety and foster parents, improved case tracking and stronger collaboration with stakeholders such as the Department of Home Affairs, Sassa, and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the party said.
Top priority
Additional support is being provided to front-line social workers through ongoing training on the Children’s Act, trafficking in persons and operational systems aimed at reducing administrative burdens and improving service delivery.
“Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and supportive environment. Child Protection Week reminds us that protecting vulnerable children requires a collective effort from government, communities and civil society,” Wendy Kaizer-Philander, the DA’s provincial spokesperson on social development, said.
“We welcome the interventions being implemented to strengthen foster-care systems, support front-line social workers and improve accountability within child protection services across the province. We need to ensure child protection remains a top priority.”
The party said it would continue exercising oversight to ensure that vulnerable children receive the protection, care and support they deserve.
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