MISA Calls for urgent action to protect children amid Omphile Sithole’s disappearance
MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, is deeply concerned and shocked by the abduction of two-year-old Omphile Sithole in Ga-Mabuela village, Limpopo and the subsequent arrest of her grandparents on allegations of negligence.
Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, appeals to the community to come forward with any information to ensure that the little girl is found and does not become another statistic in South Africa.
Omphile has been missing since the 2nd of May.
A child goes missing every five hours in South Africa, with an estimated 1 697 reported missing annually. In 77% of the cases, the child is reunited with his or her family, but hundreds of children remain unaccounted for.
South Africa will be creating awareness about the Rights of Children during the annual Child Protection Week from 29 May till 5 June.
Keyter says Omphile’s disappearance is a painful reminder that child safety is not negotiable. Every child deserves to grow up free from harm, neglect and violence.
MISA is urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to cooperate fully with police investigations and provide credible information that may assist in locating Omphile.
Protecting children is a collective responsibility, and silence or indifference should not be tolerated.
“As a union, we cannot stand by while children like Omphile remain vulnerable. The safety of our children is the foundation of our nation’s future. Protecting them is inseparable from protecting workers’ dignity and wellbeing. We call on government, communities and employers to act with urgency and compassion so that no child is left unprotected,” says Keyter.
