This follows a surprise visit by Social Development MEC Mathabo Leeto on Thursday (27/2) to the Winkie Direko Centre, a facility currently housing 50 children, including 40 boys and 10 girls.

Provincial spokesperson Thambile Nqabeni said that the centre seeks to rehabilitate children in conflict with the law, ensuring their rights are upheld and helping them to reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.

“According to the law, the Winkie Direko Centre seeks to ensure that children’s rights are not infringed. It seeks to ensure that children get back to society as better citizens. The centre offers the following rehabilitation schemes for juveniles: the Education and Vocational Training Programme, Counselling and Mental Services, Substance Abuse Treatment, the Behavioral Intervention Programme, and Moral Regeneration,” said Nqabeni.

He said the purpose of the visit was to check compliance and registration issues, which remain a significant challenge for departmental centres.

“During the visit, it became evident that the Winkie Direko Centre is facing numerous operational and technical problems that need to be addressed promptly by the department to service our people and comply with norms and standards,” he added.

MEC Leeto emphasised that unregistered centres are unacceptable and require immediate attention.

A surprise visit took place at the Winkie  Direko Centre, a facility that houses children in conflict with the law across the province. Photo supplied

“My visit today was truly worthwhile. I have discovered various aspects that need to be addressed, and we will collaborate closely with the Head of Department (HOD) of the Free State Department of Social Development and the centre's management to tackle the infrastructure challenges preventing the centre’s registration,” said Leeto.

Leeto said part of the visit was also the department’s commitment to ensuring all facilities adhere to established norms and standards.

“The issue of unregistered centres is a major concern for the department, as it is crucial to ensure that institutions serving vulnerable children adhere to established norms and standards. It is unacceptable for any centre under our watch to operate without proper registration.

The centre seeks to reintegrate children into society as responsible citizens. Photo supplied

“In the budget vote for the current financial year, we committed to ensuring that all such centres are registered, and we will hold ourselves accountable for that promise. We will not rest until compliance is the order of the day within our centres and institutions,” she asserted.

Leeto further said that comprehensive reports on the condition of the centres would be compiled and that additional Treasury funding would be sought for necessary infrastructure improvements.

Comprehensive reports on the condition of the centres would be compiled. Photo supplied

“Our current system is far from equal due to budget limitations, but we are working to rectify this. Every child in our care deserves to be treated with dignity and provided with the necessary resources to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society,” she said.

Leeto also stressed the need for significant infrastructure upgrades to ensure all children, regardless of their legal status, receive equal treatment across facilities.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg