Mandla Mandela calls for national crèche audit after Carletonville videos

MP and chief Mandla Mandela on Friday called for crèches in the country to be thoroughly vetted after disturbing videos of a caretaker assaulting minors at a Carletonville crèche emerged.  

"We further call on our government to undertake a national audit of such institutions and ensure that an ethical code of practice and minimum standards of child protection and care is adopted that will grant parents, guardians and custodians peace of mind while they place their children in the care of others," said Mandela.

He urged authorities to leave no stone unturned in conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. He said an example should be made out of the alleged perpetrator of the abuse at the crèche. 

Attorney Danie van Zyl, acting for the crèche's principal, said the videos emerged about a week ago after a former disgruntled employee threatened to leak them to the public if the principal did not meet her financial demands.   

"She threatened that she would make these videos viral and send them all over the country and to the parents because she wants to teach her a lesson. That transpired because she was dismissed for an earlier incident involving some alleged dishonesty," said Van Zyl.   

Mandela applauded the swift action taken by the Gauteng social development department to shut down the crèche with immediate effect.    

Gauteng police spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters confirmed that a 40-year-old teacher had been arrested and released on bail on a charge of assault.

Meanwhile, a heartbroken grandparent told TimesLIVE that his three-year-old grandchild had on various occasions reported the abuse suffered at the hands of the teacher seen in the viral videos. 

"The narratives that are emerging from the Carletonville crèche recount alleged acts as abuse and trauma that could scar children for the rest of their lives," said Mandela.

He said the country had been consistent in upholding former president Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela's principled position on the rights of children and condemnation of child abuse.

"He is on record as saying that, 'there can be no greater measure of the soul of a nation than the way it treats its children'. We therefore strongly condemn the alleged acts of abuse against children at the Carletonville crèche. Those found guilty must face the full might of the law as they stand in a position of trust and custody of the most vulnerable when they are in their care," he added.