Exposing Gauteng Social Development's fabrication about Baby Savers facilities and the Baby Nandi story

The Democratic Alliance has noted media reports indicating that the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) Director for Children’s Services, Yvonne Deonarian, has accused Baby Savers (a coalition of organisations offering desperate mothers the option of safe infant relinquishment) of compromising the life of baby Nandi.

However, this accusation is false, as it is Deonarian and her department that endangered the baby's life. Baby Savers offers women the opportunity for safe surrender of babies, instead of resorting to desperate measures such as dumping babies in rivers, stormwater drains, or dumpsters, or worse, killing them.

While Baby Nandi was indeed safely surrendered by her mother to one of the Baby Savers facilities, she had pre-existing medical conditions. Upon realising this, the Baby Savers facility requested assistance from Edenvale Child Welfare, but they refused, indicating that they had not received a directive from the GDSD. The department was copied in on this communique but failed to respond.

Edenvale Hospital was also approached, and they too refused to assist, indicating that Gauteng Social Development has instructed them not to work on babies from Baby Saver Facilities.

Concerned that the baby’s life was in danger, Baby Savers then took Baby Nandi to a palliative care facility, where she was stabilised but still needed urgent medical intervention. Baby Savers then went to court with a Form 2 seeking a court interdict based on the court order, so that Baby Nandi could get urgent medical attention. The magistrate requested medical records.

While the department focuses on declaring Baby Savers facilities illegal and pushing for their closure - actions that violate the court order recognising them as registered Child and Youth Care Centres - the condition of Baby Nandi continues to deteriorate. Without urgent medical intervention, this baby's life is in grave danger.

The lawyers for Baby Savers gave the department a deadline of 19 September 2025 to follow the court order or face charges of gross negligence. It is only when GDSD heard that the baby’s life was in danger that they started acting as though they had been saving Baby Nandi, but this was far from the truth.

What is evident is that the GDSD has no alternative solution for safe surrender of babies except after hours, and this is not enough to cater for mothers wanting to relinquish their babies. Hence, attacking non-profit organisations that are working to perform this critical role is not only reckless but also damaging.

In the absence of regulation, the Gauteng Department of Social Development should be complying with the court order, and deliberately delaying actions required within this is seriously delinquent of the department. A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would ensure that the Department of Social Development supports NPOs like Baby Savers, promoting safe infant relinquishment instead of scapegoating them for failing to address medical emergencies.

In the meantime, DA Gauteng will table a motion in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature that aligns with the court ruling, which states that Baby Savers facilities should be recognised as registered Child and Youth Care Centres.

Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development