Community chest spearheads collaborative effort against Western Cape child murders and abuse

The Community Chest of the Western Cape has committed funding to facilitate a concerted, collaborative effort by childcare organisations and role-players against disturbingly high levels of child abuse and murder in the province. According to reports, at least 21 children have been killed in the Western Cape since the beginning of 2017.

This commitment was one of the main outcomes of a forum held by the Community Chest at St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town, on Friday (23 June 2017). It gave these organisations a platform to voice their concerns, as well as offer solutions for a spate of violence that has been described as “tragic, sad and absolutely horrendous”.

Lorenzo Davids, CEO, Community Chest of the Western Cape, said: “Today we have to begin to spearhead the widest possible collaboration of all interested parties – across organisational, political and religious lines – in the interest of the protection of our children. The aim is to distill what we’ve discussed here today into a sensible and direct strategy.”

Davids said the Community Chest was willing “to put money on the table” to facilitate and coordinate this process. “However, it has to be led by people on the ground, people who are passionate about these issues. Justice, the police, social development and health authorities are all key players in this process.

“The Community Chest takes this battle very seriously. We’re making this contribution so that something concrete can start taking place,” said Davids.

Valdi van Reenen-le Roux, Executive Director, Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture, and one of the panelists at the forum, said her organisation would continue to lobby Western Cape Premier Helen Zille to launch a commission of enquiry into the violence against children in the province.

Others voicing their concerns said violence was the result of a myriad of factors, from poverty, socio-economic conditions, alcohol and substance abuse, inter-generational trauma that has not been addressed, to a slow justice system.

“Pulling together these loose ends, a commission of enquiry would give the various role-players and structures a space to talk about the problems and causes, so that all the voices can be heard,” said Van Reenen-le Roux.

The desired result would be for such a commission to draft a report with its findings and recommendations, and hand it to organisations such as the Community Chest to inform funding decisions, she adds.

The Community Chest invited the childcare organisations, NGOs and other role-players who attended Friday’s forum to join a 20-member steering group that will drive the collaborative initiative.

Joan Daries, Programme Manager at Community Chest responsible for the roll-out of this initiative said that her team will be arranging other engagements and focus group meetings to bring the process together cohesively. “It’s important that we stay in conversation with one another,” said Daries.

If your interested in getting involved and supporting this cause, the Community Chest offers donors and non-profit organisations (NPOs) the services of a professional donor investment management team, as well as expertise in evaluating, monitoring and reporting on NPOs’ use of donor funds; vetting NPOs for donor investment; and in capacity building within NPO leadership.

To get involved, call 021 424 3344.