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Prevalence, Abuse & Exploitation of Street Children In the early years of the 21st Century gvnet.com/streetchildren/SouthAfrica.htm
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CAUTION: The following links
and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the
situation in ***
FEATURED ARTICLES *** American musician takes on the system Nina Harvey, People's Post, 05/12/2007 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] "A lot of organisations aimed at helping these kids simply come in
and try and get them to conform without first discovering what their needs
are. But in order to really help them you need to build a foundation first
and not just go in and tell them what to do. "People seem
to either think they are delinquents, or they pity them, thinking they must
have come from an abusive background. Yes, many of their previous
circumstances may have been tough, but what people don't realise
is that the street life is addictive. These kids have the freedom to move
around as they please. Many of them will choose to stay where they are,
living by their own rules." And that, Brown
says, is the greatest problem. "The structure in this country is flawed.
Children here are making decisions for themselves they are too young to
make." Joburg lets its children
speak Emily Visser,
Official Website of the City of www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2002&Itemid=216 [accessed 22 July 2011] NON-PHYSICAL NEEDS - The message that
came out of the summit was clear - giving shelter to these children was not
enough. Many of the children in shelters seemed to receive adequate physical
care in the form of shelter, clothing, food and schooling. But their
emotional and vocational needs were not being catered for satisfactorily. Two breakaway
sessions took place: in the first the children spoke freely about their
experiences. All made "similar comments about their situations, and
identified [similar] difficulties and shared aspirations for future
improvements". Difficulties included being subjected to further abuse by
so-called caregivers, constantly facing danger, being bored because of a lack
of recreational facilities and peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol and
engage in prostitution. It also emerged
that they found the term "street children" stigmatised
them; they, in turn, saw themselves only as "ordinary human
beings". Despite the
difficulties they experienced, the majority indicated that they preferred
living in shelters to their own homes. "Many children acknowledged that
the shelters were safer than their homes and that they were receiving an
education," the report noted. Breaking ties with the street Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, June 9 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/breaking-ties-with-the-street-1.403726 [accessed 22 July 2011] Fundu Shezi (nicknamed "Bandlani")
has just turned 20. He has spent more than half his life on the streets of
Durban. His skull and face are badly scarred and there is an aura of great
sadness about him. "When I was a
baby my mother did not want me," he says. "She threw me into an open sewer at Umlazi. A social worker found me and took me to the
police. They put me in the Ocean View Children's Home. "Later I went to a foster mom, but I
was unhappy. She took the government grant, but was unkind about my mother.
She was looking after five children, but she drank a lot. I was with her from
six years old and when I was 10 I went on the streets. "As I grew up, I started to smoke
cigarettes, and then zol (dagga). I became addicted
to glue on the streets. When I came here I decided to leave those
things. "I have been told that I
have a brother and a sister who live in a place of safety. I would like to
meet them one day. I have a lot of anger towards my mother for throwing me
away. I dream about it all the time. How could she do that? I have so many
questions. The glue that blinds Independent Online (IOL) News, May 28 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/the-glue-that-blinds-1.402261 [accessed 22 July 2011] The young boy
slumps against his crutches on a City's heart is hardening, say homeless Rafaella Delle
Donne, Independent Online (IOL) News, July 15 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/city-s-heart-is-hardening-say-homeless-1.362044 [accessed 22 July 2011] In the same week
that thousands of blankets were distributed to shelters and charity organisations as part of GoodHopeFM's
blanket drive, a homeless man claims his wife died of exposure after police
took her blanket. Under the new
by-law, begging and sleeping on the streets is illegal. Essentially, it criminalises poverty, which means homeless people are
resorting to hiding from police and organisations
such as the Sea Point Community Police Forum to avoid arrest. Jackson of Ons Plek said although street
people do their share of annoying people, "the by-law reflects a
hardening of hearts towards street people". ***
ARCHIVES *** Runaways
- Where To Turn For Help Before You Are Homeless Rebeccas Community -- This is
for anyone aged up to 13 years old who is thinking about running away www.homeless.org.au/runaways.htm [accessed 21 July 2011] Here are the best
phone numbers to call …They are Confidential - which means they won't tell
anyone about your call unless you want them to talk to somebody for you, or
you are in danger. They are open 24
Hours - it doesn't matter what time you call
In South Africa, call 0800-05-5555 A Video Playlist
for Playlist developed by Brian Horne of
almudo.com & streetkidnews.blogsome.com www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=523418869632114C [accessed 2 October 2011] There are an
increasing number of street children videos now available that constitute a
supplementary source of information for researchers, especially for those who
may not have experienced the reality of street children. UNICEF
– www.unicef.org/infobycountry/southafrica.html [accessed 22 July 2011] The Department of Labor’s 2004 Findings on
the Worst Forms of Child Labor www.dol.gov/ilab/media/reports/iclp/tda2004/south-africa.htm [accessed
23 December 2010] INCIDENCE
AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR
- In urban areas, children work as street hawkers, especially around taxi
stands and near public transportation, and as car guards. There are reports that child prostitution
is increasing. There have been reports
that some cities are becoming destinations for tourists seeking sex with
minors Human Rights
Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61593.htm [accessed
23 December 2010] CHILDREN
– The
government was generally committed to children's welfare. The law provides
for greater educational opportunities for disadvantaged children‑‑traditionally
black South African children‑‑through a uniform system for the
organization, governance, and funding of schools. It mandates compulsory
education from ages 7 to 15 and ensures that children cannot be refused
admission to public schools due to a lack of funds. According to the 2003
Statistics South Africa General Household Survey, approximately 97 percent of
children between 7 and 15 years old were enrolled in school. Those not
enrolled tended to be children with special needs The government
donated land and buildings for various shelters for victims of sexual abuse,
street children, and orphans. Concluding Observations of the Committee on
the Rights of the Child (CRC) UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 28 January 2000 www1.umn.edu/humanrts/crc/southafrica2000.html [accessed
23 December 2010] [18] While the
Committee notes that the principle of non-discrimination (article 2) is
reflected in the new Constitution as well as in domestic legislation, it is
still concerned that insufficient measures have been adopted to ensure that
all children are guaranteed access to education, health and other social
services. Of particular concern are certain vulnerable groups of children,
including Black children; girls; children with disabilities, especially those
with learning disabilities; child laborers; children living in rural areas; children
working and/or living on the streets; children in the juvenile justice
system; and refugee children. South African Press Association SAPA, 27
September, 2010 www.timeslive.co.za/local/article678377.ece/Three-Free-State-street-kids-burn-to-death [accessed 22 July 2011] It was suspected
that an argument started between two groups of It was alleged that
petrol was used to set another building alight and three boys - known only as
Sgantsontso from Street Child World Cup [accessed 22 July 2011] Millions of
vulnerable and marginalised children throughout the
world today are left with no option but to live on the streets. Deloitte
Street Child World Cup aims to give these forgotten children a voice and to
campaign for their rights. DURBAN 2010 - Street children
from eight countries came together in March 2010 to find their voices through
the global language of a game they love. The inaugural Deloitte Street Child
World Cup saw teams work with specialist coaches to express themselves on the
football pitch and with artists who enabled them to tell their stories in new
and creative ways. Zimbabwean girls seek opportunity in South
Africa Donna Bryson, The Associated Press AP,
MUSINA www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2763&Itemid=184 [accessed 15 October 2012] Sofia Chimhangwa, a 14-year-old in a denim skirt, lies on the
concrete under a filthy blanket. Her 15-year-old friend sits next to her,
braiding a legless Barbie's hair. Sofia says she survives because the other
girl's 19-year-old boyfriend helps feed them both when the coins they beg
don't stretch far enough. "We
shouldn't be here on our own. I know that," Sofia said. Her big sister
helped her get to the border from Zimbabwe's capital Harare. After eight
months in this border town, Sofia is not ready to go home because she cannot
yet take money back to her widowed father.
She is among an increasing number of young Zimbabweans setting out on
their own to escape their homeland's economic ruin, bringing both a child's
naive sense of invincibility and a grown-up desire to help their families. Musina is "not a
good place," Tracy said. "There are no jobs. There's no place to
stay. A lot of robbery. Girls are forcing themselves into prostitution to get
money. And others are forcing themselves into temporary marriage, to stay with
boyfriends for security."
However, she said she would not discourage any young Zimbabwean girl
from coming here, adding she would likely return herself one day — a measure
of the desperation in her homeland.
With an economic free-fall, collapsed hospital infrastructure and
deadly cholera epidemic, aid agencies are feeding most of the population in
Zimbabwe. For many Zimbabweans, the only road to survival remains the one
leading to South Africa. First, men left
in search of work. As times got worse, women, too, had to leave. And finally
children. Children flee Justine Gerardy, Agence France-Presse AFP, Musina South mg.co.za/article/2009-01-11-children-flee-zimbabwe-to-uncertain-future [accessed 22 July 2011] Prince Jelom has sold eggs, carried bags and pushed trolleys to
survive life as a 13-year-old on the run from Jelom is one of 100
Zimbabwean children sleeping in a crowded tin-roofed garage at a Musina church, set up as a shelter for scores of young
Zimbabwean boys found wandering the streets.
Living rough, often eating from rubbish bins, the street children are
casualties of the worsening crisis at home where deadly cholera has come on
the back of chronic food shortages, mind-boggling inflation and the collapse
of hospitals and schools. Therapy surfing for street kids Claire Keeton, The Times, Dec 12, 2008 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] UMTHOMBO’S surfing
club plays a true therapeutic role in the lives of street children connected
to the project, says its CEO Tom Hewitt. Sunday Times reported this week how
Umzumbe surfing hero, Sandile Mqadi,
is using the sport (the stoke) to reach out to youngsters in Umthombo is also unique in
that it is mostly staffed by former street children who know the immediate
needs of vulnerable children and have been trained in child and youth
care. Fifteen of the 27 employees
formerly lives on the streets. Children under the sun Rupi Mangat,
the Nation newspaper, Nov 12 2008 mg.co.za/article/2008-11-10-children-under-the-sun [accessed 22 July 2011] Dagoretti is a slum area in Elizabeth Nyawira is a tall,
lanky girl in the Jua Kali Drummers. About 15 years
old and from a poor family, she took to the streets a few years ago,
rummaging through bins for food and to salvage what she could to sell to the
scrap buyers. "That's where Amref found
me," says the budding musician. Daniel Njoroge (23) was an
angry, aggressive youngster when he came to the children's centre. His
survival during his life on the street sometimes meant feeding on cat
carcasses. He was also on a constant high from drugs. Now he's not only back
at school but also training 15 street kids in music. Cold drives kids to shelters but streets
beckon in summer www.weekendpost.co.za/main/2008/08/23/news/nl03_23082008.htm [Last access date unavailable] Where have all the
street children gone? If you have wondered about the sudden disappearance of
the children who used to beg at traffic lights and car windows, then blame
the cold weather. Shelters say there
has been an increase in the number of children looking for refuge. “We‘ve noted that
every year between June and August more children come here for shelter
because it‘s usually cold out there in the streets. We give them blankets, mattresses,
warm clothes and food.” She said in summer
the children often returned to the streets. Claudio, 16, who
has been in the shelter for the past two months, dropped out of Missionvale Primary in Grade 5 last year. His grandmother died last year in October,
“but that‘s not the reason I landed in the streets. I think it‘s the bad
decisions I made and (bad) influence from my friends,” he said. “We make money by begging, or keeping an
eye on parked cars. When we have money we buy drugs like dagga and mandrax. We sniff glue to keep our bodies warm in winter
because it becomes impossible to sleep in such cold conditions covered by
plastic or cardboard boxes.” Street children building new lives for the
elderly www.theherald.co.za/herald/2008/07/30/news/n14_30072008.htm [Last access date unavailable] Street children and
other youngsters at risk are to build homes for elderly people living in
dilapidated shacks in Knysna. Youngsters at Sinethemba,
a day centre for street children in Khayalethu on the outskirts of Knysna,
are receiving carpentry lessons from local pastor Faan
Muller and have built workbenches and a workroom at the centre. Sinethemba
provides meals and lessons which include numeracy, literacy and life skills.
It does not provide overnight accommodation and street children are collected
in town each day. We watched cops beat kids Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, July 3 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/we-watched-cops-beat-kids-1.406863 [accessed 22 July 2011] "I work for a children's rights organisation
in the Police did not beat streetkids Barbara Cole, Independent Online (IOL)
News, July 7 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/police-did-not-beat-streetkids-1.407296 [accessed 22 July 2011] But the Daily News
reader, who watched the proceedings from her flat in the nearby Food first, then we talk politics Katlego Moeng,
The Times, Jun 23, 2008 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] Despite the cold
weather, Vusi was wearing a short-sleeved shirt
when The Times spoke to him. He shivered in the winter-afternoon breeze. His only sources of warmth are a fire,
which other street children gather around, and a threadbare blanket he shares
with a younger friend. “It is painful
living here. I just want a place to stay and I would love to go back to
school,” he said. But Vusi can’t go home. “My father died
when I was still very small and I don’t know the rest of my family because
they don’t like my mother ... she drinks a lot. So I have to go out and beg
for money to get something to eat,” he said. The child-rights organisation South African Missing and Exploited Children
estimates that 60000 children live on South Africa’s streets. According to
its statistics, about 1000 children are murdered in South Africa every year,
24000 child sexual abuse cases are reported annually and 1500 children
disappear. Like Vusi,
many youths are not reflected in these figures because they are not reported
missing and are not registered with a shelter. Prostituted girls’ parents not found Nivashni Nair, Jun 18, 2008 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 21 July 2011] Their parents did
not try to find them and it seems the only person who wanted them was the
pimp who sold them. Durban police have
not found the parents of two girls, aged between eight and 12, whom they
rescued two weeks ago. A man had allegedly been selling them on the city’s
notorious Mahatma Gandhi Road (formerly Point Road) for sex. The girls lived on
the streets and the police have not established where they come from. They are being cared for at a safe house
but, according to those who assist street children, the likelihood of the
girls returning to the streets is high. “Right now, these
two little girls do not realise that they have been
saved — they feel like they are being punished. One has to understand the
mentality of a street child to understand why they run away,” he said. “I am almost
certain that these girls are missing the friends they bonded with on the
streets and they also miss the money they were getting from the pimp.” – sccp Breaking ties with the street Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, June 9 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/breaking-ties-with-the-street-1.403726 [accessed 22 July 2011] Fundu Shezi (nicknamed "Bandlani")
has just turned 20. He has spent more than half his life on the streets of
Durban. His skull and face are badly scarred and there is an aura of great
sadness about him. "When I was a
baby my mother did not want me," he says. "She threw me into an open sewer at Umlazi. A social worker found me and took me to the
police. They put me in the Ocean View Children's Home. "Later I went to a foster mom, but I
was unhappy. She took the government grant, but was unkind about my mother.
She was looking after five children, but she drank a lot. I was with her from
six years old and when I was 10 I went on the streets. "As I grew up, I started to smoke
cigarettes, and then zol (dagga). I became addicted
to glue on the streets. When I came here I decided to leave those things. "I have been told that I have a
brother and a sister who live in a place of safety. I would like to meet them
one day. I have a lot of anger towards my mother for throwing me away. I
dream about it all the time. How could she do that? I have so many questions.
Biko's lessons for today Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, June 2 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/biko-s-lessons-for-today-1.402840 [accessed 22 July 2011] Bulelwa Hewitt said the
one redeeming feature of her former life on the streets was the spirit of
caring she experienced among the other children. "We shared the little we had, and
showed ubuntu. Street children have lost everything
else, but they cling to that vital bond. When one of them is sick, the others
nurture that child." A brief, brutal existence Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, May 29 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/a-brief-brutal-existence-1.402460 [accessed 22 July 2011] SCORN - "Zodwa* fled to the streets of The glue that blinds Independent Online (IOL) News, May 28 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/the-glue-that-blinds-1.402261 [accessed 22 July 2011] The young boy
slumps against his crutches on a Hope is something to live for By Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, May 21 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/hope-is-something-to-live-for-1.401328 [accessed 22 July 2011] Commander*, 15,
followed his elder brother on to the streets a number of years ago. He wants
to return home, but the pull of the streets is strong. He expressed doubt
that he would be able to be reintegrated into his community. "The streets are no good, though.
There is no respect and you cannot learn," he said. "Many of the children sniff glue to
take away stress, but it hurts our legs and knees. It's not easy to quickly
leave glue because it is in our blood. "It is
dangerous for other children to come to the streets, but they are always
running away from something. Some run because their mothers are not
interested in them. That is my story. I have hope. One day I will go home.
One day I will go to school again. Yes, I will go to school!" Fuelled by the desire to make a difference Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, May 23 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/fuelled-by-the-desire-to-make-a-difference-1.401711 [accessed 22 July 2011] The loss of family
to HIV and Aids, poverty and abuse are some of the reasons children end up on
city streets. Mellis related a recent incident that
brought her to tears. "It was
pouring with rain and I found a small boy huddled in a doorway. His face
wasn't familiar, so I stopped to question him. "He said he was 13 years old and came
from Umlazi. Both his parents had died, followed by
the aunt who was caring for him. He had no one left in the world." Putting street kids' needs first Vivien Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, May 22 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/putting-street-kids-needs-first-1.401506 [accessed 22 July 2011] SKEWED - "Readers
need to examine the issues of why the children come to the city, and what
happens to them on the streets. The popular misconception is that: 'Kids like
it on the streets'. In our experience they always run from something. There
is always a 'push factor'. "Umthombo sees reintegration as the only viable future for
street children. The organisation provides both
temporary support and long-term assistance to help former street children
find new families or mend fractured family relationships. Their new
environment is regularly monitored to make sure it is conducive to healthy
childhood development. "When the
government subsidy dries up as a child turns 18, he or she has no option but
to return to street life. If they had been reintegrated into communities
instead, they would have a greater sense of purpose and belonging." From scavenger to survivor Vivian Attwood, Independent Online (IOL)
News, May 20 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/from-scavenger-to-survivor-1.401119 [accessed 22 July 2011] DISCARDED LIVES - The children's
activist was born into a community with little hope for the future, beyond
finding the next drink or cigarette. Her mother and step-father lived in a
makeshift shack on the edge of the East London municipal waste dump. Bulelwa and her
two younger siblings, Nosiphiwe and Bulelani, spent their days scouring the dump for anything
that could be eaten or sold. Their mother kept them out of school for that
purpose. "We moved like
that, back and forth. There were people on the street living under plastic
bags and in small boxes like dog kennels. Other kids from the squatter camp
joined us. We became like a family unit and looked out for one another." "Life on the
streets wasn't really better than on the dump, but there was more chance of
finding food," she said. "At
night when the restaurants closed we would wait to grab the food they threw
away. We also begged for money and then we either bought food or benzine or thinners to sniff. "It made me see strange things, like
snakes coming out of the sea, but I wasn't scared. It sent me into a world of
my own, and helped block out the past. It took away my hunger and made me
bolder." Bulelwa
and her siblings were headed down a one-way road. Malnourished and substance
addicted, they were bound to contract disease and die young. A fellow street
child, an older youth, had been observing the little band, and intervened. Inside Martin Wroe, The
Sunday Times, March 2, 2008 www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/travel/Destinations/Africa_Mid_East/article81532.ece [accessed 15 October 2012] A group of 25 young
people, mainly boys, with maybe four teenage girls, is huddled against the
long wall of a cheap hotel on a downtown “I did go home
once,” explains Tabiso, who was 14 when his mother
told him she couldn’t afford to keep him. “But there was no place for me, so
I came back, because all my friends are here now.” Not quite all of them.
Some have died, victims of HIV/Aids or casual violence, but Tabiso is putting his hope in the person leading our
unusual summer holiday from the UK.
“Tom,” he says confidently, “is going to teach me to surf, and that
will be the job that will get me off the streets.” Police raped us - street kids Carvin Goldstone,
Independent Online (IOL) News, March 8 2008 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/police-raped-us-street-kids-1.392374 [accessed 22 July 2011] Street children
living near Albert Park allege that two of the girls who have been living on
the perimeter of the park were raped by members of the Durban Metro Police -
and one of them is now missing.
According to careworker Sipho
Nyaka, whose NGO, World Back to God, helps look
after street children, he has seen police officers arresting street children
and found girls stripped naked and handcuffed on more than one occasion. The other one who
said she was also raped was still with the group of street children in the
park on Friday. However, a teenage boy
who was arrested a few weeks ago has allegedly been missing since his arrest. South African Broadcasting Corporation SABC
News, February 23, 2008 196.35.74.234/south_africa/crime1justice/0,2172,164692,00.html [accessed 2 October 2011] This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] A It‘s easier for street kids to beg than to
go to school Shaanaaz de Jager, January 8, 2008 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] Maranatha homeless shelter
director Trudi Basson
finds that in most interviews with street children they will lie about their
schooling. “They will say they‘ve
reached Grade 4, but after educational tests you‘ll find that the child only
reached Grade 2 or has been out of school so long that those missed years are
a big gap in their schooling.” Basson said smaller children were often used by bigger
ones to earn an income by begging on the streets. This was because the older
ones usually could not earn an income themselves. “They most probably can‘t find work because
they are illiterate as well,” Basson said. “You‘ll
find that sometimes the little ones are victimised
and forced to stand on the street and beg. Some younger children are also on
drugs. “They don‘t see
going to school as a solution. After all, why must they go to school if they
can get money on the street right now? And, unfortunately, drugs are also
available. Going to school is not an instant solution to their problem. It
doesn‘t solve poverty at home.” “You often find children who don‘t have
school shoes do not want to go to school. They are too shy to go to school
barefoot.” Instead, some of these children grow up illiterate and are forced
to help support their families. Joburg lets its children
speak Emily Visser,
Official Website of the City of www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2002&Itemid=216 [accessed 22 July 2011] NON-PHYSICAL NEEDS - The message that
came out of the summit was clear - giving shelter to these children was not
enough. Many of the children in shelters seemed to receive adequate physical care
in the form of shelter, clothing, food and schooling. But their emotional and
vocational needs were not being catered for satisfactorily. Two breakaway
sessions took place: in the first the children spoke freely about their
experiences. All made "similar comments about their situations, and
identified [similar] difficulties and shared aspirations for future
improvements". Difficulties included being subjected to further abuse by
so-called caregivers, constantly facing danger, being bored because of a lack
of recreational facilities and peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol and
engage in prostitution. It also emerged
that they found the term "street children" stigmatised
them; they, in turn, saw themselves only as "ordinary human
beings". Despite the
difficulties they experienced, the majority indicated that they preferred
living in shelters to their own homes. "Many children acknowledged that
the shelters were safer than their homes and that they were receiving an
education," the report noted. BuaNews (Tshwane),
eThekwini, 13 December 2007 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] The city manager
said these children continue to resist all attempts to provide them with
support, despite the city's best efforts.
"Businesses and many residents continue to ask me to clear them
away and whilst we do provide as much social welfare support we can, they
keep coming back." Around the same
time a group of residents had been evicted onto the street. "It was late in the day and one of the
terrible storms was pelting down on us. One person died and we were
approached to provide tents to shelter these truly poor people. "We did so, even though as a very
short term measure but the surrounding residents did not see it that way and criticised us." On Wednesday night,
said Mr Sutcliffe, one of the city's stormwater drains burst and over 50 shacks were washed
away. "We urgently put up a tent
in a park and will provide sanitation on a temporary basis. "We will, through our housing and
other programmes, eventually ensure everyone has
access to sanitation and shelter, but we cannot do that overnight. We are
trying to be a caring city, but also recognise that
has unintended consequences." Granny forgives petrol killer Tania Broughton, Independent Online (IOL)
News, December 12 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/granny-forgives-petrol-killer-1.382394 [accessed 22 July 2011] "I can also
take judicial notice of the fact that the deceased were street children. "I have personally dealt with cases in
this court where street children have committed crimes such as robbery and
murder," he said, referring to a specific case in which a family living
in their car on the beachfront were attacked by street children and the
father was shot and killed. While that
crime had been far more serious than the theft of a bicycle, "it is an
indication of what street children can do", the judge said. American musician takes on the system Nina Harvey, People's Post, 05/12/2007 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] "A lot of organisations aimed at helping these kids simply come in
and try and get them to conform without first discovering what their needs
are. But in order to really help them you need to build a foundation first
and not just go in and tell them what to do. "People seem
to either think they are delinquents, or they pity them, thinking they must
have come from an abusive background. Yes, many of their previous
circumstances may have been tough, but what people don't realise
is that the street life is addictive. These kids have the freedom to move
around as they please. Many of them will choose to stay where they are,
living by their own rules." And that, Brown
says, is the greatest problem. "The structure in this country is flawed.
Children here are making decisions for themselves they are too young to
make." Street children sentenced for stabbing
jockey to death Legalbrief Today, (Category:
In Court, Issue No: 1968), 04 December 2007 www.legalbrief.co.za/article.php?story=20071204131215371 [accessed 22 July 2011] All four, aged
between 16 and 19, pleaded guilty in the Street rescue At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] The MEC for social
development in Knock on our doors, says MEC Sibusiso Mboto,
Independent Online (IOL) News, December 3 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/knock-on-our-doors-says-mec-1.381143 [accessed 22 July 2011] Prostitutes and
street children wishing to change their lives for the better need only
approach the social development department, MEC Meshack
Radebe said last week. Addressing a function in Pietermaritzburg
on Friday, Radebe said there were many
opportunities for the children and prostitutes to improve their lives. Recently, the Provincial social development
department received a R24-million windfall from its national counterpart. Alleged child trafficker walks free Raffaella Delle Donne, Independent Online (IOL) News, December 1
2007 at 01:09pm www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/alleged-child-trafficker-walks-free-1.380989 [accessed
23 December 2010] Lured by promises
of work and a new life in the big city, children as young as 13 are being
brought to Where are Sharlene Packree
and Heinz de Boer, Independent Online (IOL) News, November 22 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/where-are-durban-s-street-children-1.379838 [accessed 22 July 2011] Durban's usually
bustling street child colonies have all but disappeared from the city after
what is believed to be a major police crackdown ahead of this week's Fifa preliminary draw.
City officials remain at odds over the fate of dozens of children, who
are believed to have been rounded up by SAPS and Metro Police units before
being taken to Westville Prison.
Social workers say this happened after the children and some adults
with small children were charged for loitering and given fines they cannot
afford. Some may spend up to 90 days behind bars. Kids ‘primed for sex jobs’ Aly Verbaan,
City Vision, 01 November 2007 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] Compounding the
problem for street children is that the general public is mostly apathetic
and unmoved by their plight. The
children themselves are so hardened by life on the streets that they can be impossible
to work with, even for those trained in the field. An independent researcher has commented in
her reports that their “dislikeableness”
contributes to offenders feeling justified in their abuse of the children,
who are often seen as seen as dangerous criminals rather than victims. 'Angel of BBC News, 9 October 2007 news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7035179.stm [accessed 22 July 2011] VICTORY DANCE - Known to her
pupils as "Mama Jackey", the Ithuteng Trust school principal had been celebrated for
providing shelter and an education to thousands of traumatised
and destitute children. Their
harrowing tales drew donations of millions of dollars from luminaries such as
Mr Mandela and US TV chat show host Oprah
Winfrey. But a South African TV
documentary, Carte Blanche, a year ago revealed claims that Ms Maarohanye pressured pupils
into reciting fabricated tales of murdered parents, rape and destitution. The programme also alleged that some donations had "gone
astray" while children at the school were going hungry. Subsequently newspaper reporters said they
found it difficult to get pupils and staff at the school in Klipspruit - in Help TUT students to help street children Yolande Kortjass,
Equilibrium Incorporated, 17 Sep 2007 www.bizcommunity.com/Noticeboard/196/48/6428.html [accessed 22 July 2011] We are a group of
students from the public relations, business communication and international
communications department. Itumeleng Shelter is a
shelter that only takes care of boys. It can currently only take care of 18
boys ranging from 0-18 years of age.
The main purpose of the shelter is to rehabilitate the boys and place
them back with their families. The shelter also provides services to male
drop-ins, who do not live at the shelter but are being helped with food,
clean clothes and therapy. The shelter
is a two-bedroomed house, with nine boys sharing a room. They are in need of
food, clothes, computers, renovations of building, school uniforms, bedding
and blankets. City's heart is hardening, say homeless Rafaella Delle
Donne, Independent Online (IOL) News, July 15 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/city-s-heart-is-hardening-say-homeless-1.362044 [accessed 22 July 2011] In the same week
that thousands of blankets were distributed to shelters and charity organisations as part of GoodHopeFM's
blanket drive, a homeless man claims his wife died of exposure after police
took her blanket. Under the new
by-law, begging and sleeping on the streets is illegal. Essentially, it criminalises poverty, which means homeless people are
resorting to hiding from police and organisations such
as the Sea Point Community Police Forum to avoid arrest. Jackson of Ons Plek said although street
people do their share of annoying people, "the by-law reflects a
hardening of hearts towards street people". Performance theatre as empowermentUsing
energy of street at Grahamstown Candice Jansen, www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-167045367.html [partially accessed 21 July 2011 - access
restricted] One such initiative
is the Art of the Street Project (ASP), which trains and cultivates drama
talent using street children from the Eluxolweni
Shelter in Grahamstown. Since 2003, it has provided an outlet of
positive self- expression for these youth.
Run by UBOM!, an Eastern Cape drama company, every year it stages a
street theatre production for the festival, based on members' life stories
and experiences. Streetwise kids foil jailbreak Christel Raubenheimer,
Beeld, At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] The man was very
casual and after following him for a short distance Hofmeyr
stopped next to him and told the boys to grab him. "He resisted, but these are street
children: they softened him up a bit."
The boys climbed back in with their new passenger and returned him to
the prison. The boys, who range
in age from 12 to 18, said they were a bit apprehensive of the escapee. Apparently he did not say much. Aletta Dreyer of
the Crossroad Shelter said the children were all there because they wanted to
achieve something in life. Muizenberg drug problems
running high Ciska Verster,
19 June 2007 152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2007/06/19/PQPP/1/cvmuiz.html [accessed 22 July 2011] Gang bosses have
also been making optimum use of street children, who police cannot fully
prosecute. "These children are
acting as 'high-risk' drug runners between False Bay College students and
Village drug-dealers - a problem police can do very little about," Allan
Dillon says. As Director Hagen
admits, children caught for crimes can only be held for a maximum of 24-hours
by police, after which they are absorbed back into the Social Welfare system.
"They are mostly released back into their parents' custody - who cannot
control them - as there just aren't enough places of safety to hold them. We
find ourselves continuously re-arresting the same children." Muizenberg might soon see a
"drop-in centre" for street children established in conjunction
with The Homestead Shelter in Cape Town, says MID board member Joanne Hichens. "The
primary purpose of the centre will be to get children into some sort of
stable residential care, but failing this, the centre should at least be a
means of keeping track of the children's movements and behaviour.
This information will be shared with the relevant authorities," Hichens says. Painful rejection as street kids try to
make their way back Tabelo Timse,
June 20, 2007 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] Former street
children trying to turn their lives around are finding it difficult to enter
schools because they are either far behind in their grades or have never even
been to school. Maranatha
Streetworkers Trust director Trudi
Basson said children who had lived on the street
were often rejected because they were far behind or too old to start. She said the trust had developed a gap-year
programme for the children to follow before going
to mainstream schools as otherwise they tended not to cope. The programme included home schooling with the help of
volunteers. Children as old as 13 had
never been to school and sometimes they did not even have birth certificates,
so the trust volunteers had to estimate their ages, said Basson. Wave of homeless youths overwhelming Joburg Jeremy Gordin,
Independent Online (IOL) News, June 17 2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/wave-of-homeless-youths-overwhelming-joburg-1.357963 [accessed 22 July 2011] A good
night's sleep is also hard to come by.
Three different groups of street children - one from Hillbrow, the second from the Joubert
Park area, and another group of girls from End Street - said that Metro
police habitually set their blankets on fire, apparently as a means of
forcing them off the streets and into shelters. "Sometimes
the policemen laugh; they think it's a big joke," said one boy. Social workers, outreach workers and staff
at the shelters do not doubt such stories.
Mildred Mhlanga, of Johannesburg Child Welfare's Thembalethu
Project, said that a number of girls from the project had watched as Metro
police lifted their blankets from the rubbish bins where they were stored and
set them alight. Homeless bear the brunt of the big chill Sumayya Ismail, Mail &
Guardian Online, mg.co.za/article/2007-05-23-homeless-bear-the-brunt-of-big-chill [accessed 22 July 2011] In Braamfontein, The centre in Simmonds Street has handed out about 1 500
blankets, and expects to give out about 5 000 in total. For meals, it
caters to about 400 people in the morning and another 600 in the afternoon,
primarily serving soup and bread, but also curries and rice, depending on the
donations it receives. Shelter Programme Twilight Children www.twilightchildren.co.za/default.aspx?id=225 [accessed 22 July 2011] SHELTER PROGRAMME - The Twilight
Children Shelter programme is a voluntary
residential facility for children who no longer wish to reside on the
street. During their stay in the
shelter, Twilight Children assumes the role of 'parents' to these children
and provides for their physical and emotional needs.They
help extensively with reunification of Children with their parents in
circumstances of poverty. We house these children at Twilight during the
week to allow them to go to schools and at weekends and holidays we
give them transport money and food parcels to take home so they can spend
time with their parents. Children are
looked after by child care workers on a 24 hour basis. Their role is to
provide whatever it takes to ensure the successful rehabilitation and reinteration of these marginalised
youngsters back into mainstream society.
The children attend formal schools both in Soweto and Johannesburg,
and social religious and cultural activities are arranged to provide them
opportunities for personal growth. Port. priest brings hope to homeless
children Laois Nationalist, May
17, 2007 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly also be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] There are hundreds
of children, both boys and girls, who live on the streets. For most street
children a cardboard box and newspaper are their only source of shelter. Fr.
Michael's support, guidance and training programmes
are often their only opportunity to get off the streets. The Learn to Live
Project provides one of the few educational and skills training programmes in Capetown that is
aimed specifically at street children. "We aim to improve their
self-image, reduce aggressiveness and bring structure into their lives, to
make them employable. The ultimate goal is to re-integrate street youth into
mainstream society," says Fr. Michael. The Sixteen Plus Programme is an outreach programme
designed around the needs of youths over 16 years, the majority of whom have
lived on the streets for many years. Huge rise in number of children living on Lynn Williams, April 18, 2007 This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 22 July 2011] The growing number
of street children in He said the
children were committing crimes like housebreaking, snatching handbags,
breaking into motor vehicles, pick-pocketing and stealing beach-goers‘
belongings. “I don‘t know exactly how
many kids there are but they live under the Humewood
bridge, and the groups are getting bigger and bigger,” Koll said. “They have to fend for themselves so they
become involved in criminal activities. Children as young as 11 already have
criminal cases against them.” Where being poor could become a criminal
offence Bronwen Dyke, Pambazuka News, 2007-03-15, Issue 295 www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/40305 [accessed 22 July 2011] Cape Town's recent
by-law, the 'City Streets, Public Places and Public Nuisance Act', not only
adds to the vulnerability of the homeless, especially street children, by
dispersing them to outlying locations around the city where there are no
support mechanicisms, but may also lead to the criminalisation of poverty and homelessness in South
Africa. Social issues on agenda for Inner City
Summit Official website of the City of www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1321&Itemid=282 [accessed 22 July 2011] SPECIAL GROUPS - Certain groups
need recognition and research to provide an understanding of their size and
needs. Street children –
there doesn't appear to be a coherent strategy for dealing with street
children. There is also a growing problem of homeless children who are
HIV/Aids orphans - including foreign HIV/Aids orphans. Access to funding and
how to "legalise" the foreign children
needs to be discussed. 40 000 child prostitutes - Street children
vulnerable to sex trade A. Bolowana, 2004 www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=2198903 [Last
access date unavailable] STATISTICS - The gangs, he
said, gave the boys food and money in return for sexual favours. The source, who did not want to be named
for fear of intimidation, said: "They buy them food, they offer
protection in exchange for sexual favours." He said he believed that half of the boys
on the streets had been sexually molested, sodomised
and raped. "It is a very
secretive thing, not talked about," he said. Project raises R150 000 for homeless kids Independent Online (IOL) News, January 23
2007 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/project-raises-r150-000-for-homeless-kids-1.312016 [accessed 23 July 2011] Each of the three
beneficiaries received a R50 000 contribution from the project. Learn
to Live, which provides education for abandoned children, will spend the
money on educational workshops and life skills training in the months to
come. The Homestead, with its mission to help homeless boys reconstruct
their lives, will invest in its family re-integration programme
while Ons Plek, a
shelter that takes in homeless girls, aims to improve its community
re-integration programme. Children of a Lesser God: Saranel Benjamin, Pambazuka News, 2007-01-17 -- Issue 286 www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/39203 [accessed 23 July 2011] Recently we met
Thabo, a little boy of 12. He has been on the street for just two weeks. Both
his parents died and his granny couldn’t afford to take care of him and his
two sisters so she sent them out of the house. He doesn’t know where his two
sisters are. They got separated on the streets. He looks like a fish out of
water on that sunny yet grotty part of the Durban
beachfront. He should be playing on the beach, frolicking in the water.
Instead he sits outside a supermarket not knowing how to go about asking
these grown-up strangers for food or money. His heart hasn’t hardened enough
to allow him to make that decision to steal as yet. Nor has he been
integrated into any of the other packs of street children where he would be
taught the skills of surviving on the street. Instead, Thabo’s broken heart
and hungry stomach forces him to stick his little, innocent hands into a
garbage bin and scrummage inside it with the hope
that some grown-up stranger has thrown away his or her lunch. One day I will help children like me The Scotsman, January 01, 2007 scotsman.vlex.co.uk/vid/one-day-i-will-help-children-like-80125626 [partially accessed 23 July 2011 - access
restricted] One Sunday morning
in 1958, 12-year-old Judy Westwater packed a small
case with her school books and uniform, a bar of soap and a comb and a few
pieces of stolen fruit. Abandoned by her violent and abusive father in a
residential hotel room in Johannesburg, and with no money to pay the rent
owed to the landlord, she headed for the only place she could think of: the
street. Finding a tiny shed nestled in the wall of an alleyway, she squeezed
herself in there with her few belongings. It was to be her home for the next
nine months. Children attacked sex charge vicar Ruth Keeling, www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/1014564.children_attacked_sex_charge_vicar/ [accessed 23 July 2011] An Oxfordshire clergyman accused of child abuse needed a
police escort from court after being attacked by R1m children‘s home officially launched at
Blanco, George Cathy Dippnall, At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly also be accessible [here] [accessed 23 July 2011] A new R1-million
initiative aimed at keeping destitute children and their parents off the
street was launched by George executive mayor Bazil
Petrus at an official sod turning in Blanco,
George, yesterday. The main aim of
these meetings was finding ways of helping the growing population of street
children who have become a problem in the town. R2 million boost for smile-a-child project Tando Mfengwana,
Bush Radio 89.5fm Newsroom, 09 October 2006 bushradionews.blogspot.com/2006/10/r2-million-boost-for-smile-child.html [accessed 23 July 2011] Officials estimate
that for every child taken off the street, two more join the ranks of street
children. In Cape Town an estimated 40
percent of people living in the street are children, No bail for children suspected of murder South African Press Association SAPA,
October 6 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/no-bail-for-children-suspected-of-murder-1.296617 [accessed 23 July 2011] The Herald Online
reported that the incident raised concerns about increasing violence
displayed by street children in the area.
A police officer, Gerald Kota, involved in the rehabilitation of
street children told The Herald that street children are becoming entangled
with "drug lords" who use them to break into homes and even
encourage them to kill. Bills to protect kids linger in legal limbo Derrick Spies, Safety and Security
Reporter, The Herald, 06 October 2006 At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly also be accessible [here] [accessed 23 July 2011] They haunt city
alleys and pavements, hands outstretched, eyes pleading, as they beg for a
few cents and a bite to eat. They are
a sign of a society in crisis, but are seen as a social nuisance. They are
children – but whose responsibility are they?
Many people see street kids as a nuisance. They are regarded as
vandals, petty criminals and future prostitutes, and the police are expected
to take them off the streets. From street child to drumming master Sipokazi Maposa,
Independent Online (IOL) News, September 19 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/from-street-child-to-drumming-master-1.294288 [accessed 23 July 2011] Two years ago Ncedo Ngomba, 14, was homeless
on the streets of Today Ncedo not only has a roof over his head, but he has
turned his life around and is involved in a number of projects. From
education to sport and music, these projects have helped him develop. But
there is one project that is especially close to Ncedo's
heart: the Steelband Project Western Cape, which
teaches music to youngsters from poor communities. Street kids get their kicks from soccer Melanie Peters, Independent Online (IOL)
News, September 10 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/street-kids-get-their-kicks-from-soccer-1.293022 [accessed 23 July 2011] Sport plays an
important role in the rehabilitation of street children and in the
transformation of youth from disadvantaged communities. Cape Town's deputy mayor, Andrew Arnold,
told the Street Children's Soccer Tournament in Green Point on Saturday that
sport could keep children away from drugs, gangs and other social evils. About 32 teams of street children took part
in the event which was jointly organised by the
city, the Cape Town Partnership and the fledgling Western Cape Street
Children's Soccer League. Book Review: Street Kid: One child's desperate fight for survival by Judy Westwater www.tonight.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3409249&fSectionId=375&fSetId=251 [Last access date unavailable] I am wary of trivialising her story by reducing it to a list of
horrors, but here's a short version as contained in the publicity blurb:
"Abducted by her psychotic spiritualist father as a child and kept like
a dog in his backyard, Judy Westwater suffered in a
Manchester orphanage run by nuns before being taken to South Africa, where
she ended up living wild on the streets of Hillbrow
and joining the circus. Determined that her
childhood experiences should in some way give meaning to her life, Judy has
in adulthood worked tirelessly to help homeless children in South Africa - in
the very places she herself suffered." The book ends when Westwater, aged 17, returned to the UK from South Africa,
to seek her mother and sisters. The reunion was anything but loving. It is
then noted that Westwater inherited a small legacy
and she used this to start projects with street children in South Africa,
Mexico and elsewhere. Cops warn of new smash 'n grab tactics Fiona Gounden,
Independent Online (IOL) News, August 12 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/cops-warn-of-new-smash-n-grab-tactics-1.289094 [accessed 23 July 2011] "We have had
many cases where criminals have stuck chewing gum on car doors to alert their
accomplices. However, in most cases, street children are being used because
motorists don't really suspect them. While these kids are begging from
motorists, they look into cars and check for valuables. Poverty, drugs driving kids to sell sex on
street Derrick Spies, Safety and Security
Reporter, The Herald, August 10, 2006 povertynewsblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/south-africa-poverty-drugs-driving.html [accessed 21 July 2011] “There are a large
number of street children in the area who are turning to this as a way to
fend for themselves,” he said. “What is needed, is early intervention that
will take the children off the streets before they get drawn into that
lifestyle.” Ebenezer Church
pastor Neville Goldman said the church was aware of the problem and was very
concerned about children who had run away from home and turned to crime and
prostitution to survive “There is
definitely a problem in the northern areas of children who go missing, and of
parents who cannot account for the whereabouts of their children. The Star, August 7, 2006 www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/07_08/2006_08_07_Star_MotherCitys.htm [accessed 23 July 2011] The horrifying fact
is that on the streets of our cities, homeless boys are regularly sexually
abused by a growing number of paedophiles. The
street kids call these men "bunnies" - a term describing the mostly
middle-aged white men who pay them to have sex. According to
activists, street children are collected at night at designated pick-up
spots, yet the public remains largely unaware of what is taking place. Many NGOs
established to provide care and shelter for the city's street children turn a
blind eye and, according to some, the police say they have "bigger fish
to fry" than sexual predators preying on boys living on the margins of
society. Street children are hit hard by the big
freeze Thabiso Thakali,
This article has been archived by World
Street Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 23 July 2011] As the freezing
temperatures and heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in some parts of the
country, homeless people and street children have been hit the hardest. Johannesburg
Emergency spokesman Malcolm Midgely said people
living on the streets were at risk of hypothermia as their body temperature
continued to drop. “Hypothermia can
be fatal because a person’s blood circulation is severely affected.” Street Samaritan attacked by those he helps Fiona Gounden,
Independent Online (IOL) News, July 29 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/street-samaritan-attacked-by-those-he-helps-1.287270 [accessed 23 July 2011] A Khoza … was … cornered
by a group of about 10 boys aged from about 12 to 20 … They stoned me and
stabbed me. It was terrible as I have worked closely with young people and it
felt so sad to be beaten by them. Street children as young as 8 being lured
into prostitution by tourists Tabelo Timse,
The Herald Online News, 26 July 2006 www.oijj.org/news_ficha.php?home=SI&cod=34665&pags=0&idioma=es [accessed 21 July 2011] This article has been archived by World Street
Children News and may possibly still be accessible [here] Street children,
some as young as eight years, are increasingly being lured into prostitution
by local and foreign tourists in the Knysna area. Police say they are
aware of the problem but poverty and a culture of silence are obstacles in
their attempts to prevent child prostitution. Knysna Child Welfare has
conducted several workshops on child trafficking in the Garden Route and
reports that a trend has emerged that street children are being used for
prostitution, drug smuggling and other crimes. Chairman Trix Marais said there was a “vicious cycle of silence.
Their parents and the community know about it but they keep quiet.” No short cuts for street actors Theresa Smith, www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-147783274.html [partially accessed 23 July 2011 - access
restricted] The children won't
all necessarily end up being actors (though they all acquitted themselves
rather well) but the Project isn't just about teaching the children to use
the stage. It's about learning to
navigate life, a skill they haven't necessarily picked up on the street. Four years ago Drive to help street kids beat winter blues Jessica Roberts, Independent Online (IOL)
News, June 29 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/drive-to-help-street-kids-beat-winter-blues-1.283533 [accessed 24 July 2011] Children from
shelters in Khayelitsha and I CAN is a campaign
to collect blankets and clothes for shelters for the homeless in Cape Town. Durban cleans up its act ahead of 2010
showdown South African Broadcasting Corporation SABC
News, May 23, 2006 westvilleonline01.blogspot.com/2006/05/durban-cleans-up-its-act-ahead-of-2010.php [accessed 15 October 2012] Street kid burns to death in basement South African Press Association SAPA, April
5 2006 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/street-kid-burns-to-death-in-basement-1.272167 [accessed 24 July 2011] The child usually
slept on the pavements and might have sought refuge in the basement, said Naidoo. "The
basement was very dark and a candle had to be used for light, and when it
caught fire the child could not escape," said Naidoo. Children not kept safe www.rekord.co.za/story.aspx?lan=Afr&sid=9989 [accessed 24 July 2011] Not only is the
social system failing “The street
children are the future of this country but as long as the community gives
them money, food or clothes, they will stay on the streets and develop into
habitual criminals when they grow up,” Information About Street Children - This report is taken from “A Civil Society
Forum for East and Southern Africa on Promoting and Protecting the Rights of
Street Children”, 11- 13 February 2002, At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 24 July 2011] The situation of
street children needs to be seen in the context of the legacy of entrenched
poverty, racial discrimination and high levels of societal tolerance for
violence. There are an estimated 250,000 street children with a rapid
increase in numbers due to increasing levels of adult unemployment, the drift
from rural to urban areas, the rapid growth of cities and the mushrooming peri-urban informal settlements and the breakdown of
African family support systems. SA youths tell of
street life BBC News, 16 April, 2002 --
featuring Skhumboso Dlamini
(15) and John Wilkenson (21) news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1910693.stm [accessed 24 July 2011] “I only did two
years at school. After my grandmother died, my brothers and sister, who were
unemployed, could no longer support me. I had to fend for myself in the city,
and that's when the streets of Bhavna Sookha
and Bongani Mthembu,
Independent Online (IOL) News, May 9 2005 www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/durban-s-street-children-are-out-of-sight-1.240647 [accessed 24 July 2011] A Thin Hope of
Escaping Poverty Text and Photos by Weng
Yu-ming, The Tzu Chi Quarterly, Fall 1999 --
Translated by Norman Yuan taipei.tzuchi.org.tw/tzquart/99fall/qf99-11.htm [accessed 24 July 2011] STREET CHILDREN - Unable to endure
his stepfather's beatings, twelve-year-old Roy fled from home a week ago and
is wandering on the streets of Thulani's parents both
passed away when he was ten. He went to live with his aunt, but she already
had four children of her own. Thulani left and
wandered on the streets for four years. Street life was very hard. He was
frequently attacked by passersby, but he never knew why. Most street
children in HOMELESS - Due to the
sudden death of his mother, Roland began wandering on the streets after he
finished elementary school. At fourteen, he was accepted by a shelter. He
left it when he was twenty and came to Child Sex
Industry Booms In LaborNews, 23 July 1996 www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/37a/029.html [accessed 21 July 2011] Film: Hillbrow Kids A co-production by Quinte
Film und ZDF / ARTE, 1999 www.hillbrowkids.de/e_film.htm [accessed 24 July 2011] Unlike their
parents, these children are not prepared to be part of the meek majority of
have-nots, are not prepared to be the born losers anymore. Poverty, alcoholism, broken families and
brutality drive them to the streets of cities like Organisations that help children Official website of the City of www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1022&Itemid=75 [accessed 15 October 2012] There are many organisations that look after the needs of a range of
children: street children, abandoned babies, Aids orphans, HIV positive
children, and others. Some operate overnight shelters while others offer
residential care from birth to the age of 18. Some operate drop-in centres. Most engage in outreach programmes.
Some are Christian-based organisations, while
others are non-sectarian. Some, like Cotlands,
Streetwise and the Orlando Children's Home, are well-known; others are less
so. Described here are several such organisations. All employ some permanent staff but also
make use of volunteers. Othandweni - Hope For Street
Children Anna Yeadell,
Radio At one time this article had been archived
and may possibly still be accessible [here] [accessed 24 July 2011] In the notorious
district of Hillbrow in New Hearts For African Angel Tours www.africanangeltours.com/index.htm [accessed 24 July 2011] [select: UPLIFTMENT
in the menu at the left] NEW HEARTS FOR
AFRICA
- Following her retirement several years ago, Beverley Peterson decided to devote
her life and her small $5,000 pension to help the children living on the
streets of Christopher Gumbi
And His Wife Provide Home And Center To Street Children Of [access information unavailable] Christopher Gumbi and his wife provide home of sorts to 12
"street" children and provide a center for up to 250 other children
from around Diepkloof who visit the house daily for
a meal or for extra-mural activities. Helping The Street
Children Of From the July/August 1998 issue of Share
International www.shareintl.org/archives/social-justice/sj_helping.htm [accessed 24 July 2011] David Fortune, a
priest, child-care worker, and part-time actor, is reintegrating children and
youth living on the streets of Amos Trust www.amostrust.org/projects/index.php?pageNo=335&parent=49 [accessed 24 July 2011] Rokpa Projects in ROKPA www.rokpauk.org/projectssouthafrica.html [accessed 24 July 2011] OVERVIEW - Every year
thousands of migrants arrive in Findings from
interviews on the background of street children in Pretoria, South Africa Johann Le Roux, Street Children in pangaea.org/street_children/africa/safrica2.htm [accessed 24 July 2011] The majority leave
as a result of socioeconomic and other factors within the family or immediate
environment. These family factors may include: abuse of alcohol and drugs;
financial problems and poverty; family violence and family breakup; poor
family relationships; parental unemployment and resulting stress; physical
and/or sexual abuse of children; parents absent from home as a result of
personal or financial reasons (e.g., a migrant labor system); collapse of
family structure; collapse of extended family; and emergence of vulnerable
nuclear families in urban areas (Le Roux, 1993). All
material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107
for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use. PLEASE RESPECT COPYRIGHTS OF COMPONENT
ARTICLES. Cite this webpage as: Patt,
Prof. Martin, "Street Children – |
Torture in [South Africa] [other countries]Human Trafficking in [South Africa] [other countries]Street Children in [South Africa Child Prostitution in [South Africa] [other countries]