SOYISO MALITI
Sinothando Educare in Wallacedene, where a one-year-old toddler died on May 20, is still in the process of being registered with the Department of Social Development.
It is one of the crèches receiving assistance to register with the department, according to MEC for Social Development, Albert Fritz.
Police said the toddler was strangled by his backpack which got caught on a railing at the educare.
Mr Fritz’s spokesman, Sihle Ngobese, said the toddler’s mother and father had received counselling from social workers and Kraaifontein police were handling the investigation.
He said further counselling would be offered to the family of the child by the department’s social workers.
Kraaifontein CPF spokesman, Giovanni Pasquallie, said it was the duty of the community to protect children.
“As parents, we regard crèches as places of safety and this would be the last place you’d expect your child’s life to be at risk. But it has happened,” he said.
Provincial police spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut, told Northern News an inquest had been opened but no foul play was suspected. Two teachers at the educare referred Northern News to the owner for comment about the incident but we were unable to reach him.
