MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Following the front page report in last week's newspaper about a boy in Extension 8 who apparently starves dogs in a cage, the Mossel Bay Advertiser contacted welfare organisations and the Health Department for advice for the public on what to do if they see children or adults behaving unacceptably.
The boy's grandmother only told someone about the starving dog and asked for it to be removed when the dog was almost at the point of death.
The dog was euthanised by the SPCA.
Animal cruelty should be reported to the SPCA (044 693 0824 / 2034) at Bill Jeffery Street, KwaNonqaba, immediately.
The boy attended Diaz Primary School and the principal, Granville Briesies, told the Mossel Bay Advertiser the boy was highly aggressive and constantly disruptive - almost in every subject period of the school day.
Killed pigeons
In a separate incident of animal cruelty in Mossel Bay two boys aged about 13 broke into pigeon cages in Harry Giddey Park two years ago and took the birds and killed them. There have been reports of other boys stealing pigeons, but this was the only case of the birds being killed.
One of the two boys was transferred from one welfare organisation to another in May 2016 because the boy moved house and then fell under the jurisdiction of the other welfare organisation.
When the Mossel Bay Advertiser contacted the second welfare organisation to find out if the boy was on their books, they replied "no", although a letter had been sent to that organisation in May 2016 according to the other welfare organisation.
After the inquiries by the Advertiser last week, the organisation originally dealing with the boy told the Advertiser it had been asked by the second organisation last week (on 11 April) to resend the transfer letter that had been sent in May 2016 about the boy. It resent it on 12 April.
It is not known where the boy is or what has happened to him since May 2016.
Three organisations
The Mossel Bay area is served by three organisations that deal with welfare issues: Child Welfare, The Department of Social Development and the ACVV. Each organisation serves a different geographical area - that is why cases are transferred if children change address.
Mossel Bay also has a police Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, which last year won the award for third best FCS unit in South Africa.
The Advertiser reported the case of the boy apparently starving dogs to Child Welfare. Child Welfare said the address falls under ACVV jurisdiction. The ACVV said Social Development deals with young offenders and must have the child assessed mentally no matter what his address, so the Advertiser has now reported the case to Kholiswa Jobela, a Social Work Manager for the Eden Karoo region based at the Social Development Department office in Mossel Bay.
Treated badly or neglected
If you know of an animal, child or person who is being treated badly or neglected, you must report it. If you know of someone who is harming people or animals you must report it.
There are various routes through which people can be sent for psychiatric evaluation to see if there is something wrong with them mentally: through being referred by a school, by a health clinic or a welfare organisation.
There is a psychiatrist available at Provincial Hospital in Mossel Bay who assesses people. All schools have access to social workers and or psychologists and can use these services if a child has behaviour problems.
Mental health
Nadia Ferreira, the principal com-munications officer, Eden and Central Karoo Districts, has confirmed: "Patients with mental health complaints should go to or be taken to their local clinic, where they will be attended to by a clinical nurse practitioner (CNP).
"If the patient's illness is not within the scope of practice of the CNP, the patient will be referred to a doctor at the clinic.
"The doctor will either treat the patient or refer them to the mental health nurse at the hospital, in this case Mossel Bay Hospital.
"The mental health nurse will treat the patient and if the condition is beyond their scope of practice, the mental health nurse will consult with the doctors at the hospital before referring the patient to the psychiatrist or psychologist. The psychiatrist and psychologist visit the hospital once a week from George Hospital.
"Private patients are referred directly to the mental health nurse at the hospital. Social workers, private psychologists and occupational therapists also refer patients to the mental health nurse.
"Schools have their own system and their social worker will refer a child to our mental health nurse if necessary," Ferreira concluded.
To report children behaving badly or adults mistreating children, call:
- Child Welfare, Mossel Street, Da Gamaskop: 044 693 4764
- The Department of Social Development, 64 Marsh Street, Mossel Bay: 044 690 3943
- The ACVV, 116 Montagu Street, Mossel Bay central: 044 691 2259
- The police's Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) Mossel Bay branch, 110 Adriaan Avenue: 044 693 3869.
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