Cape Town – A 33-year-old man is expected to appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrates Court today, facing charges of child abuse after a disturbing video emerged showing him allegedly forcing a four-year-old boy to drink beer. The arrest follows swift action by police and social workers from the Department of Social Development (DSD), who have removed four children from the Tafelsig home where the incident occurred.
The case first came to light last week, when whistleblowers alerted the Cape Argus to the existence of the video. The footage depicts the young boy squatting on the ground, a bottle of Black Label beer in one hand and a glass in the other. He is then seen drinking from the glass, encouraged by a male voice to "Sluk, sluk, (drink it, swallow it)." The boy's visible discomfort and apparent sickness did not deter the man, who can be heard laughing as the child bravely pours another glass before handing the bottle back.
Adding to the horror, the video also reveals numerous bottles of beer scattered around the child, and his legs and arms appear to be covered in bruises.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, confirmed the arrest, stating: "A 33-year-old man was arrested on Saturday morning, November 29. He will appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrates Court on Monday, December 1, for the mentioned charge.”
Captain Van Wyk had previously confirmed that a child abuse case had been registered for investigation at Mitchells Plain SAPS. "This case was transferred to Mitchells Plain Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS)," he explained.
The four children, aged between seven months and 11 years, were immediately taken into the care of the authorities. "Four children aged between seven months and 11 years were removed by personnel attached to the Department of Social Development and placed in the care of safety parents. These children were also taken to Thutuzela Centre for medical examination," Van Wyk added.
The DSD has expressed its strong condemnation of the incident. The department stated that it "condemns this type of behaviour, where adults allow children to consume and handle alcohol."
The DSD also highlighted the serious and potentially lifelong consequences of alcohol consumption on children. "The effects of alcohol on children can be serious and lifelong. Alcohol consumption can impact brain development and can lead to emotional and behavioural issues," the department warned.
The DSD urged the public to report any instances of adults allowing children to consume alcohol to their nearest DSD office, designated child protection organisation, or SAPS. "If people know of instances where adults allow children to consume alcohol, they should report it to their nearest DSD office, designated child protection organisation, or SAPS. With the festive season starting, we urge all adults to act responsibly while caring for children."
While the DSD cannot provide specific details on ongoing child protection matters, they confirmed that social workers are actively investigating the case. "If a report of child abuse and/or neglect is received, social workers conduct a risk and safety assessment, which determines the type of the intervention."
The incident has also brought to light allegations of a slow initial response from a senior police official. Whistleblowers claim that the official dismissed the matter after a home visit, accepting the father's explanation that he did not drink and did not allow the boy to consume alcohol.
Zona Morton, the whistleblower who initially raised the alarm, expressed her disappointment at the alleged police inaction. "If one cannot reach out in the middle of the night to the SAPS, and get a nonchalant response, they did not even assess (Wednesday night prior to DSD and SAPS second visit) whether the children are safe," she said. "The way in which the colonel responded to my plea, to ascertain that the child is safe, you can see on the video that the child was forced to consume alcohol."
Morton further emphasised the timing of the incident, coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. "It is disgusting that this is during the 16 Days of Activism of no violence against women and children," she stated.
Nicholas Gotsell MP, a DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice, echoed these concerns, calling for accountability for the SAPS members allegedly involved. "What makes this worse is that, despite electronic evidence and urgent reports from the public, Mitchell's Plain SAPS allegedly failed to respond speedily. Such inaction, in the face of a child at immediate risk, is unacceptable and borders on dereliction of duty," he said. "SAPS failed to act according to the Children's Act and did not take action or any child protection measures. When the safety of a young child hangs in the balance, SAPS cannot afford hesitation or indifference."
The DSD has noted a concerning trend of increasing numbers of children in need of care and protection. In 2023, there were just over 39,000 children in foster care in the province, a number that has risen to more than 43,000 in 2024.
In response to the allegations of poor police action, the DSD stated: "It is disturbing to hear that the SAPS allegedly refused to respond to this matter, as they are required to do as per the Children's Act when receiving reports of alleged child abuse. We have requested the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety to look into this serious allegation."
Morton believes that police officers require further education regarding the Children's Act and child protection. "Police officers need to be educated regarding the Children's Act and child protection," she said.
This latest incident follows a similar case in Woodstock, where a mother was filmed feeding her toddler alcohol, prompting a SAPS investigation and intervention by the DSD.
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