Human rights body slams child killings
CONCERNED: Chris Nissen of the Human Rights Commission says there has been a surge of violence on the Cape Flats. Picture: David Ritchie CONCERNED: Chris Nissen of the Human Rights Commission says there has been a surge of violence on the Cape Flats. Picture: David Ritchie
Since the beginning of the year 25 children have been killed in the Western Cape. Chris Nissen, a commissioner for the Human Rights Commission, said there had been in a surge in violence on the Cape Flats.
“I was recently in Hanover Park where a 16-year-old girl was shot. The killing of any child is unnecessary. We need more police on the ground. And we need to mobilise our communities around these issues,” he said.
A report recently released by NGOs and academics about the rights of children stated that South Africa has high levels of interpersonal community and sexual violence.
“We believe that the 'normalisation' of violence against children is a matter of extreme concern," the report said.
“The recommendation is to address the extreme levels of violence against children and it must be given urgent political priority, including increased focus on evidence-based prevention programmes. The frameworks and systems in place require urgent budgetary and programmatic intervention.”
Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille says she wants research into the child murders. In an article in the Daily Maverick, she says she wants “experts to undertake an in-depth study of at least six recent child murders.
“It would document what we know about each case, analyse them in detail, and use comparable international studies to recommend solutions.”