Johannesburg - The two children who died when a fire broke out in a block of flats in Hillbrow were not at a creche but in an aftercare facility.
Gauteng Social Development MEC Faith Mazibuko said they were being taken care of by an elderly woman at the Chesterfield building until their parents came back from work.
“Our preliminary investigation shows that the flat was not a daycare centre but rather an after school care,” Mazibuko said on Tuesday. “These children were attending various creche and were only brought to the elderly lady thereafter, while waiting for their parents to come back from work.”
The children died from smoke inhalation on Monday night when the flat caught fire at about 5pm. Seven other children were taken to hospital. Mazibuko said four people, including the caregiver, were still recovering in hospital.
The department registers early childhood development centres like creche and preschools but not aftercare facilities, according to Mazibuko’s spokesman Thebe Mohatle.
People intending to care for more than six children from babies to 18 years are supposed to register with the department.
Mohatle said: “It is an informal arrangement that the parents made with the woman to just make sure the children were safe while they are at work. That is a risk that parents take, and it is on a voluntary basis.”
Mazibuko warned parents against enrolling their children at unregistered creche. “I would like to encourage parents to enrol their children at registered centres since it is parental responsibility to verify the registration of a crèche with the department.
“It is the responsibility of the parents to verify with the department if their preferred creche are compliant to basic conditions of safety, nutrition, health, education and all aspects that ensure holistic growth of children in their care,” the MEC pointed out.
The Star