Today marks the first day of the Western Cape Department of Social Development's Amnesty Period for the province's more than 1 500 unregistered crèches.
The Amnesty Period will run from today, 1 February 2011 until 31 July 2011 and will only apply to crèches in existence before the end of January 2011.
The Amnesty Period represents an opportunity for all of us, Government, crèche owners and operators, and parents alike, to start complying with the Children's Act, which is there to protect and nurture our children.
My message to parents is as follows:
As we speak the Department of Social Development's distribution process is in progress.
In the City of Cape Town, where most unregistered facilities are found, around 1200 application packages have left our offices over the past 2 days.
These packages are available in Afrikaans, IsiXhosa and English.
Finally, you will see in your press packs that we have included the pamphlet that is in the packages we are distributing.
These pamphlets explain to crèche owners and operators, in four simple steps, how to go about registering.
I am also signing and sending out personal letters to the approximately 1500 unregistered crèches that we have details for.
You will notice that we have included in your press packs the breakdown of calls to our toll free number since 12 January 2011.
In the next two weeks I will also be visiting registered and unregistered crèches.
I would like to reiterate that this Amnesty Period will not be extended after 31 July 2011, for any reason whatsoever, and that we will not hesitate to enforce the law and shut down illegal facilities.
Steven Otter
Cell: 084 233 3811