'Don't abandon children for shebeens'

Minister for Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya has called on parents not to abandon their children during the festive season.

Speaking at an outreach rally in Escourt, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, Mayende-Sibiya warned caregivers not to abandon their children for shebeens.

"Christmas and new year celebrations should not be about abuse of alcohol and drugs as this leads to the neglect and abandoning of children.

"We have already had instances of children being left stranded and others raped while parents enjoy themselves elsewhere," she said.

Mayende-Sibiya warned attendees that child neglect was a punishable offence.

"Let us report these cases to the police and social workers and make sure that children are protected," she said.

According to the department, the number of orphans and vulnerable children was increasing as a result of the economic recession.

"Currently the number of children who have become orphans and vulnerable is estimated at 1.5 million. This number is unfortunately expected to increase to about two million by 2010," said Mayende-Sibiya.

She said to respond to the plight of the vulnerable, government was strengthening its social security support with over 13 million South Africans receiving social assistance benefits.

"The number of disabled people accessing disability grants doubled over the past six years, increasing from 690 000 in 2002 to 1,2 million in 2008.

"People with disabilities now constitute the third largest group of social grant beneficiaries after those receiving child support grant and old age pension," she said. - Sapa