IFP in KZN concerned by rate of child murders in the province
|Published
Philasande Shange of KwaDukuza (Stanger). Picture: FACEBOOK
Johannesburg - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the KZN Legislature has called for killers of children to be punished severely for their crimes. This comes after KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza described the gruesome murder of a 7-year-old boy in KwaDukuza as barbaric.
Philasande Shange went missing from his eNtshawini home, in Ward 24 under the KwaDukuza Municipality, last Thursday.
After four days of frantic searching by the family and neighbours, a few parts of his dismembered body were discovered in a nearby stream and bushes in the Ntshawini area three days later.
IFP spokesperson Les Govender said the party demands that paedophiles and child murderers be punished severely and that justice must be served swiftly so as to deter other would-be killers.
"The killing of children must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. In a civilised country like ours, we cannot allow our children to be abducted and killed while we remain silent. The government must act without any further delay to prevent our country from becoming a slaughterhouse."
"We cannot keep our children under ‘house arrest’ and forbid them from playing outside because we fear for their safety at the hands of morally bankrupt people. These people have lost the spirit of Ubuntu and should have no place in society," Govender said.
Govender said the IFP was clear and unapologetic about child killers, adding that they must face the full might of the law. He said that the murder of children was more than just murder; it also had a psychological impact on the victims’ families.
"Killers of children must be severely punished and given the maximum sentence that the law allows. Such people must be weeded out of our society, even if it means that existing legislation needs to be amended.
"In addition, children who experience their friends being kidnapped and/or murdered suffer long-term psychological effects. Being socialised in an environment of fear affects their conduct and behaviour in the community, thereby leading to a culture of perpetual violence. We must not allow our children to grow up thinking that such violence is a part of daily life," he said.
Govender said the IFP was deeply concerned by the scourge of child murders in the province and the involvement of traditional healers and witchcraft.
"The IFP is also concerned about traditional healers who are allegedly making use of human body parts for muti purposes. This cannot be condoned, and anyone found to be masquerading as a traditional healer and using human body parts must be arrested.
The IFP calls for the ongoing protection of children. This must be a 365-day-a-year project. We must not wait for “16 Days of Activism” to create greater awareness of the violence being perpetuated against women and children. We urge parents to ensure the safety of their children by always being aware of their whereabouts and who they associate with," he said.
The Star