Michael Appel
Johannesburg

An illegal welfare centre in Orange Farm, Gauteng, was shut down on Wednesday, following a raid by police and social workers the day before.

Child Welfare South Africa (CWSA) on Thursday voiced its appreciation for work done by the Department of Social Development in closing the unregistered welfare facility.

Public Relations Officer for CWSA, Tommy Huma, told BuaNews that "we are very supportive of government action, and we really want to promote and get the word out there that there are certain procedures to follow in order to register as a welfare centre."

Founder of the Siyakhula Orphanage Centre, Eunice Mabaso, was ordered to shut down the centre because it was not legally registered with the department.

Mr Huma said the four bedroom house that was being used as an orphanage, housed 30 children of various ages ranging from three months to 21 years of age.

"The house is made for about 6 people, now you can imagine 30 children living in this house," said Mr Huma.

Mr Huma said that the conditions the children were being forced to live under was "not good at all", and added that "you cannot have a 21 year old male sharing a small room with young girls and boys."

In the initial raid on the house on Tuesday, many of the children escaped but returned to the orphanage later.

Police and social workers, therefore, returned on Wednesday to collect the remaining children and close down the orphanage.

Ashley Theron, National Executive Director for CWSA said: "Closing down and removing children from unregistered facilities that are potentially harmful and dangerous to children makes absolute sense."

Mr Huma said whilst no evidence of child abuse had yet arisen, the children have been relocated to various other orphanages in the Orange Farm area.