Letters to the editor
Image: File
Amanda-Lea Jones, responder at the Helderberg Baby Saver, Somerset West
Baby Savers SA is addressing the alarming rise in abandoned babies in South Africa. The Baby Saver initiative began in 1999 with the installation of Baby Savers, secure boxes for mothers to safely relinquish their infants anonymously. These boxes have saved hundreds of lives, allowing for adoption and family reunification.
A Baby Saver is a box-like structure situated within the wall of a Child and Youth Care Centre or a designated safe place. When a baby is placed inside, an alarm is activated, notifying a team of responders and emergency medical services that a new arrival has occurred.
The baby is then promptly collected and given the necessary medical care and placed into safety through a designated child protection organisation. The benefits of using a baby saver are that it offers a secure option to prevent unsafe infant abandonment, and women or young girls can relinquish their baby without revealing their identity.
As Baby Savers became more prevalent in South Africa, it became essential to establish structure and protocols to ensure their safe and effective usage. Thus, in 2021, Baby Savers South Africa (BSSA) was created as a national coalition of NPOs and organisations to oversee these efforts.
Amanda-Lea Jones is a responder at the Helderberg Baby Saver.
Image: Supplied
Significantly, Baby Savers SA emphasises that any organization operating a Baby Saver must collaborate with a registered child protection organization (CPO). Adhering to the provisions of the Children’s Act is of utmost importance, and it is crucial that no procedures deviate from those outlined in the Act.
In 2023, the Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) has deemed Baby Savers illegal, threatening to close facilities like Door of Hope in Johannesburg that use them. Legal action has been taken to protect these services, leading to a court order allowing their continued use, although the GDSD has yet to comply.
GDSD’s argument for shutting down Baby Savers centers on the claim that “anonymous abandonment” deprives children of their right to a family, culture, religion, and nationality.
In contrast, BSSA firmly believes that a child’s right to life, as outlined in our Constitution, should be the top priority; therefore, Baby Savers play a crucial role in saving young lives. After all, how can they have a right to family, culture, religion, and nationality if they have died as a result of being dumped?
Responders, Phumi September, left, and Frances Fuchs posing in front of the Helderberg Baby Saver.
Image: Supplied
The GDSD also contends that the baby saver initiative relieves mothers of their parental responsibilities.
However, this perspective overlooks the challenging context in which South Africa exists. Research indicates that women who abandon their infants often do so out of desperation, frequently as victims of gender-based violence, forced prostitution, poverty, and abandonment by their families or partners, and lack of support from social workers, clinics, and hospitals.
Baby Savers SA is calling for public support to oppose this amendment and protect vulnerable children and mothers.
Objections to the proposed law can be submitted via email by October 2025 to: matlhogonoloS@dsd.gov.za, ntopot@dsd.gov.za, and luyandamt@dsd.gov.za.
We urgently request your support, help us protect babies and children by ensuring their right to life.
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