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Residents of Johannesburg are, once again, mourning the loss of an innocent child after the gruesome mutilation and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Durban Deep, Roodepoort. This tragedy follows the abduction and murder of an 11-yearold boy in Fleurhof, Roodepoort, just a few weeks ago. These senseless crimes speak to a growing collapse of law and order, and ActionSA refuses to remain silent.

As ActionSA, we believe that every South African deserves to live in safe and secure communities, and that our children, in particular, must be protected by the State that puts their safety and well-being first.

We extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families. As parents, neighbours, and citizens, we must never accept this level of violence as normal. These horrific acts, targeting our most vulnerable, are a direct result of the failure by the State to provide effective policing, community protection, and adequate social services.

The inaction of the South African Police Service (SAPS) is unacceptable. ActionSA calls on SAPS to immediately prioritise the safety of children by:

• Ensuring fast, coordinated responses to all missing children’s reports
• Reinstating specialised child protection and GBV investigation units
• Increasing visible policing in known high-risk communities like Roodepoort and Fleurhof
• Partnering with local statkeholders to build sustainable, community-based safety networks

Our commitment to ethical leadership and restoring the rule of law compels us to act when communities are abandoned by those meant to protect them. The systemic failure to safeguard children is a betrayal of our constitutional values and undermines the very foundation of a just society.

ActionSA recognises that vulnerable children, particularly those seen begging or living in impoverished communities, are often victims of systemic neglect and abuse. Removing them from the streets without addressing the dangers they face at home is a short-sighted, inadequate solution. A truly humane and effective intervention must ensure:

• Holistic social support for at-risk children and their families
• Empowerment of community child-safety forums
• Coordination between the Department of Social Development, SAPS, NGOs, civil society and communities

ActionSA demands a Johannesburg where our children can walk freely to school, play safely in their neighbourhoods, and live without the constant fear of violence. These are not luxuries – they are fundamental human rights, and ActionSA will continue to fight for them.

Our children deserve better. Our communities deserve justice. ActionSA remains committed to building an inclusive, safe, and prosperous South Africa, where every child is protected, valued, and given the opportunity to thrive.

Issued by ActionSA CoJ Constituency Chairperson Kea Shumba