Western Cape to appoint first-ever Children’s Commissioner
The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape welcomes the final recommendation made by the Standing Committee on Social Development to recommend Mrs Christina Nomdo as the Commissioner for Children in the province. Ms Nomdo would be the first Children’s Commissioner appointed by any government in sub-Saharan Africa.
Gillion Bosman MPP said: “It is welcoming that members of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature unanimously adopted the report compiled by the Standing Committee on Social Development on the appointment of a Commissioner for Children. The final step in this process will be for the Premier to make the appointment based on the recommendations made by the committee.”
The appointment of the first-ever Commissioner for Children will be a vital step in prioritising children’s safety and wellbeing in the province. The commissioner will be tasked with the protection and promotion of children’s rights, along with the Western Cape Government through various collaborations.
Gillion Bosman MPP added: “The DA has diligently led this process in line with the Western Cape Commissioner for Children Act and has ensured that every decision was made against the backdrop of sufficient public participation. While this is a major milestone in children’s rights advocacy, the public must remain mindful that it takes a ‘whole-of-society’ approach to combat violence against children and decrease the murder rate.”
The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape is leading the way in the promotion of children’s safety, holistic development and well-being. We hope that other provinces across the country will follow suit and use the Western Cape as an appropriate benchmark for which to appoint commissioners for children.
