Minister Patricia De Lille: "The Children Playing in the Mannenberg Drains were Not from Bonnytoun or Boys Town"

Minister Appeals to Parents "to Start Taking Their Responsibilities Seriously"

Patricia de Lille, the Western Cape Minister for Social Development, says a departmental Trauma Team from the Southern Metropole has established that the ten boys found in Mannenberg's drain network, "did not abscond from either Boys Town or Bonnytoun".

"Our team, after meeting with the boys and their parents, has confirmed that they are all local youngsters between the ages of ten and 15 years and that they did not abscond from any care facility," Ms de Lille says.

"A lot of resources have been put into ensuring these youngsters are safe and to prevent a costly repeat of what has happened here, Social Development is going to continue speaking to Community Safety, Child Welfare and the City about running an awareness programme at local schools and in the community to alert children and their parents to the dangers of playing in the storm water drains."

"Who knows what could happen during a sudden downpour of rain? The Department is taking the risks posed very seriously," says de Lille.

"I am also making a personal appeal to parents to start taking their responsibilities seriously by keeping a watchful eye on their children 24 hours a day."