New Play Café opens in Johannesburg to address child safety concerns

Joburg Child Welfare (JCW), in partnership with the Johannesburg Artist Market (JAM), Play Africa and Jozi My Jozi, will this weekend launch the Play Café - a fully supervised, purpose-built play space aimed at giving Johannesburg children a safe place to learn, play and create.

The initiative comes as child-safety concerns in the city reach “critically urgent levels”, with many families seeking secure alternatives during the busy festive season.

The Play Café will open on December 6 and 7, at JAM (formerly 27 Boxes in Melville), offering a range of carefully designed play areas, creative zones and dedicated support for children with special needs.

JCW CEO Abubakr Hattas says the new facility addresses an urgent gap in child protection. “Play Café is not a luxury, it is a necessary intervention. It provides an inclusive, safe play space that brings together children supported by JCW and others in the broader Johannesburg community, to ensure that every child has the opportunity to lead a normal and healthy life.”

Hattas warns that the safety crisis facing children cannot be ignored. “We cannot ignore the reality that many children in our city are simply not safe,” he says. “This space deliberately integrates children supported by JCW with children from all Johannesburg communities to promote inclusion while prioritising safety. It also provides people an opportunity to experience firsthand the work of JCW and its beneficiaries and introduces opportunities for them to positively contribute to this work.”

What families can expect at the Play Café

Developed with JAM and supported by Play Africa and Jozi My Jozi, the Play Café features:

• themed sensory play zones

• quiet rooms for children with special needs

• imaginative playhouses and building zones

• problem-solving stations

• creative corners for art, music, drama and storytelling

• an active play area for physical development

• a café-style lounge for parents to relax or work while children are supervised

The Play Café operates on a self-funding model with affordable per-child tickets and flexible visitor passes. JCW beneficiaries are granted free access, and all proceeds are reinvested into JCW’s child-protection programmes.

With schools closing for the holidays, JCW anticipates high demand from parents seeking trusted supervision.

Community partners welcome the initiative

Dean Weil, Team Lead for the Social Engagement Pillar of Jozi My Jozi, says the Play Café demonstrates what meaningful collaboration can achieve.

“Initiatives like the Play Café show what is possible when committed organisations come together to prioritise child safety and wellbeing. Jozi My Jozi is proud to support JCW in this vital work, and we remain committed to building a city where every child can realise their full potential in an environment that protects and empowers them.”

Weil adds that JCW’s broader impact is visible across Johannesburg. “Jozi My Jozi deeply values the critical work Joburg Child Welfare is doing in our city. We have seen firsthand the breadth and depth of JCW’s impact, from their after-school programmes to their dedicated support for vulnerable children across the inner city. Their teams are not only creating safe, nurturing spaces for children to learn, play and grow, but are actively shaping the next generation of Johannesburg’s leaders by instilling confidence, resilience and strong values.”

Call for corporate and civic partners

JCW is inviting corporate sponsors, foundations and civic groups to support the Play Café through funding, volunteer involvement or in-kind contributions.

“Every contribution directly protects a child,” says Hattas. “We have launched the Play Café to meet an urgent need, and we invite partners to help us expand safe spaces like this across Johannesburg.”

Families are invited to attend the opening weekend. Event bookings for private use of the Play Café can be made via [email protected]