The Democratic Alliance (DA) is among the opposition parties that have expressed their unhappiness with the approval of the Children’s Amendment Bill for consideration by the National Assembly.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development has adopted the proposed amendment for the National Assembly to deliberate on it before a final adoption when it returns from recess.
The bill is also being amended in line with the High Court deadline in November. It aims to extend the jurisdiction of the children’s court to include abandoned children and further improve the administration of the foster care orders.
DA MP Lilian Amelia-Abrahams says her party is against certain clauses in the bill.
Rights of unmarried fathers
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) says the bill in its current form will disadvantage unmarried fathers who want to take care of children living in foster care.
ACDP MP Marie Sukers says they are concerned that the bill fails to deal with the rights of unmarried fathers.
“To us it is really tough one that the committee seems to have considered what the real life impact is. It is not only on the foster care system but primarily on the child when there is a father that can take care of the child in the case where that child finds himself in the foster care or in a vulnerable position. So, we want to emphasise it is important for us if we want to deal with children in foster care that we consider the rights of unmarried fathers. Of course, within the context of what is in the best interest of that child.”
Meanwhile, The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has shared the ACDP’s sentiments.
The IFP says the disagreement between the African National Congress (ANC) and the opposition benches regarding the inclusion of certain clauses in the bill is unfortunate.
The party says of particular concern is the section that sought to protect the rights of unmarried fathers who want to live with their children instead of the children being taken into foster care when their mothers abandon them.
IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe explains.
“Unfortunately, the members of the opposition and the ruling party could not find each other on some of the clauses in the bill. For example, the IFP holds the view that SSection 21 should have been included. It wasn’t a full bill that was originally submitted to Parliament and all submissions to Parliament during the public participation process agreed in that section including the Department of Social Development…the amendment to Section 21 would have helped to save these children in ending up in foster care.”
In the related video below, activist and award-winning author of books on parenting, Victorine Fru, talks about the importance of the roles of both parents in raising a child:
