Child Protection Week: Minister to sign MOU with Hessequa Municipality

As part of ongoing Child Protection Week commemorations, Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Albert Fritz, announced plans to enter into a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Hessequa Municipality.

The MOU will set out a vision of services going forward, and offer better coordination between officials from the department and the municipality. The MOU will place greater emphasis on strengthening families and rendering increased services to children.

Minister Fritz made the announcement during his address at the Hessequa Municipality Social Indaba, held at the Thusong Centre in Riversdale.

The Hessequa Municipality has experienced immense growth over the last 5 years, and with it, growing social ills such as substance abuse, gangsterism and domestic violence.

The Department already spends R253-million in the Eden municipalities, which includes Hessequa Municipality, and we will continue to provide the social work services that respond to social challenges.

As we continue to commemorate Child Protection Week and beyond, we urge the public to report any cases of child abandonment, neglect and missing children to any of our regional and local offices, or to contact our DSD Hotline on 0800 220 250. We can protect our children if we continue to work ‘Better Together’.