12 Jun Department of Community Safety Special programmes commemorated child protection week.

On 9 June 2023 the Department of Community Safety’s Special Programmes Unit (SPU) and members of the Youth Forum together with the sister Department’s representatives, South African Police Service (SAPS) and Correctional Services visited St Thomas Special School for the Deaf in Stutterhiem, in commemoration of the Child Protection Week.

The guests were welcomed by an enthusiastic assembly of students, who eagerly welcomed them with smiles. The different stakeholders spoke on various topics such as substance abuse; bullying and mental health issues, while highlighting the important points on the issues that affect children, ways to report committed crimes and how to protect themselves. A member of the Youth Forum outlined the advantages and disadvantages of social media as a way to educate them on the dangers of using social media, in the long run.

The department donated sanitary towels, soccer and netball kits to the school as a token to encourage them to be active and to stay fit “physical well-being leads to great mental health”