Department condemns murder of Atlantis woman and child | Western Cape Government

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Department condemns murder of Atlantis woman and child

7 June 2017

Social workers from the Atlantis local office have been dispatched to the family of the woman and child found murdered in Protea Park, Atlantis.

I continue to call on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to work tirelessly and to hunt-down and bring to book the killers of our women and children.

There should be no space in our society for murderers, and I’m appealing to community members with information, to come forward and assist police in their investigation.

I welcome news of yesterday’s (Monday) arrest of a 35-year old man as a suspect in the murder case involving 5 year-old Minentle Lekhakha from Strand (Cape Town).

The child went missing on Saturday, and tragically her young body was found on Sunday.

Social workers from our Metro East regional office are in contact with the child’s family, and will continue to offer bereavement counselling.

I support calls by Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, for a research partnership to be launched into the current spate of child murders. The Province is committed to working with SAPS and NGO’s to investigate factors that led to the recent child killings. This will bolster the whole-of-society response to child protection.

As a Department we spend R651.5-million on services to children and families, and our teams of 1500 departmental social workers across the province are increasingly specializing in the Children’s Act. However no government can ever replace the role committed and responsible parents play within stable homes. I continue to call on parents and communities to be extra vigilant of their children.

Media Enquiries: 

Sihle Ngobese

Spokesperson for Albert Fritz, Minister of Social Development

Western Cape Government

7th floor, 14 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, 8000

Tel : (021) 483 9217

Cell :  076 083 6543

Email : Sihle.Ngobese@westerncape.gov.za