North West Department of Social Development social workers have repatriated 27 teenage boys from Mozambique who resurfaced at the disused mine in Stilfontein in November back home.
Among the 27 undocumented minors, 15 were found by the police in Matlosana, and 12 others resurfaced from the abandoned mines and were placed in temporary safe care in the capital, Mahikeng, for two weeks.
NORTH WEST DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT REPATRIATES MINORS WHO RESURFACED IN STILFONTEIN
The Department of Social Development in the province said the minors were involved in illegal mining activities at Stilfontein in Matlosana local municipality.
The department’s placement in temporary safe care is in line with the provisions of the Children’s Act, which mandates that social workers or police officials remove a child who is in danger and place them in temporary safe care.
“On Tuesday, 17 December 2024, at 00:00, the social workers managing the case set out to repatriate the children to the Lebombo border with a police escort. This is done after they get permission from the court to release them from their safety, allow them to repatriate them, and hand them over to their counterparts in Mozambique, who will then reunify the children with their parents.
“This was made possible after the Mozambican Consulate issued them temporary travel documents and allowed a care-to-care process between the Social Development Departments in the two countries. The Department of Social Development and International Social Workers Services facilitated this. The children will be handed over to Social Workers at the Lebombo border on Tuesday, 17 December.” The department said.
MEC EXPRESSES PROFOUND THANKS
MEC for Social Development Basetsana Sussana Dantjie expressed profound thanks to her departmental team, led by the acting Head of the Department, Dr Fezile Ngqobe, for arranging temporary safe care for children and working around the clock to repatriate them to their original country.
“We thank all the stakeholders who came forward and played a critical role in ensuring these children receive the necessary care and protection. We also thank the Mozambican Consulate for speeding up the repatriation process,” Dantjie said.
Dantjie said her department, together with the stakeholders, is ready to provide similar services to other children who may resurface from the old gold mines in Stilfontein.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE UNDOCUMENTED MINORS WHO RESURFACED AT STILFONTEIN ENDED UP IN SOUTH AFRICA?
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