Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks on Sunday, 8 June 2025, takes the Child Protection Month campaign to the Mokwakwaila village in Tzaneen, Limpopo, drawing the month-long programme to a close.
However, the campaign encouraging everyone to work together to end violence against children continues through the national 365-Day Child Protection campaign.
Mokwakwaila village was selected as the venue for the closing event following disturbing reports of child abuse, including rape.
Child Protection Month forms part of the 365-Day Child Protection campaign, which prioritises the safety and well-being of children.
Child Protection Month is focused on the theme “working together in ending violence against children” and aims to put into action national commitments made at the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children held in Bogota in November 2024.
South Africa pledged to implement seven breakthrough areas on ending violence against children:
• Parent and caregiver support;
• Providing a safe environment;
• Child participation;
• Response, care, support, and healing;
• Norms and values;
• Collaboration and coordination with SADC (Southern African Development Community); and
• Income and economic strengthening.
The area has received disturbing reports of child abuse, including bullying, rape, children having sex at an early age, and girls being impregnated by either their relatives or persons older than them. These issues were confirmed by community members during dialogues held in the lead-up activities towards the event.
While Child Protection Month comes to a close, the 365-Day Child Protection Campaign continues under the theme “working together in ending violence against children”. This theme will run for a period of five years.
Members of society are encouraged to report all cases of child abuse and gender-based violence to the Gender Based Violence Command Centre on 0800 428 428.
The command centre is operated by qualified social workers and is available 24/7.
