A five-year-old boy was found dead in a pit latrine last Tuesday at an early childhood development centre at Mariannhill West of Durban.
It’s alleged that the child, Elihle Nyembe, was reported missing last Tuesday after children were taken to an ablution facility during the day.
The teacher did not notice that the child had not returned to the classroom, but only realised during the counting.
The boy’s body was found two days later by social workers who visited the ECD.
KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, has condemned the incident saying that the operation of unregistered early childhood development (ECD) centres put children’s lives at risk.
Department’s Spokesperson Mhlabunzima Memela says it was found that the centre was not registered to operate.
“It’s one of the horrible incidents. As the social workers were assigned there they found out that that institution has enrolled about 47 children but the institution is not registered which then creates a problem in terms of the Children’s Act.”
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