VZCZCXRO7080
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHSA #2671/01 3631241
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291241Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0749
INFO RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY 7470
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY 1535
RUEHJO/AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG PRIORITY 9825

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM KTIP SF
SUBJECT: CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN 
PREPARATION FOR WORLD CUP 2010 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) On December 8-9, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund 
(NMCF), in cooperation with the Department of Social 
Development (DSD) and numerous civil society organizations, 
launched the Champions for Children Campaign to ensure the 
protection and safety of children during the FIFA World Cup 
2010 and beyond.  Both the government and its NGO partners 
have already identified the potential risks to children 
during such a large scale event and have developed plans for 
their protection.  Lawyers from the South African Law Reform 
Commission (SALRC) expect passage of the Trafficking in 
Persons (TIP) bill early in 2010.  Of paramount concern is 
the closure of public schools for the duration of the World 
Cup, but stakeholders are already mobilizing to supervise, 
protect and feed children during the extended school break. 
Post will look for ways to support these efforts to protect 
South Africa's most vulnerable citizens.  End summary. 
 
 
------------------------ 
GOVERNMENT'S ACTION PLAN 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (U)  Before the conference began, the senior and principal 
State Law Advisers for the SALRC told Poloff that the TIP 
Bill will be voted on in Parliament as early as late 
February.  Principal State Law Adviser Dellene Clark said 
there is now plenty of political will to pass the bill.  She 
added that the extensive consultation process undertaken 
during the drafting of the legislation meant that 
implementation of the bill should also be quick and virtually 
hassle-free. 
 
¶3. (U)  Ms. Gyan Dwarika, Social Work Advanced Specialist for 
the DSD, outlined the department's comprehensive Child 
Protection Action Plan for the FIFA World Cup 2010 which was 
tested as a draft plan during the 2009 FIFA Confederations 
Cup.  The plan calls for Provincial Joint Operation Command 
Centers (PROVJOC) feeding into one National Joint Operation 
Command Center (NATJOC).  Provincial Command Centers will 
assemble teams consisting of all stakeholders: 
non-governmental organizations working with children, child 
and youth care workers, police, probation services, shelters 
and safe houses.  They will provide the contact information 
and work schedules of all relevant personnel to the NATJOC as 
well as the names and contacts of two individuals who will be 
on standby duty for the duration of the World Cup event. 
 
¶4. (U)  The Action Plan focuses on fostering collaboration 
between the public, civil society and government.  It 
outlines training and capacity building programs for the 
relevant stakeholders as well as procedures for communication 
between the government, civil society and service providers. 
A national coordinator will make site visits to the provinces 
to ensure compliance with the plan's reporting and staffing 
requirements. The plan also provides for education and 
mobilization of parents and communities in partnership with 
existing civil society programs and provincial authorities, 
although the source of the funding for such initiatives is 
unclear. 
 
 
---------------------------- 
CIVIL SOCIETY'S PREPARATIONS 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  Civil society has also mobilized to counter the 
special threats to children posed by the influx of tourists 
expected to attend the World Cup.  Molo Songololo, a 
non-governmental organization that works on the rights, needs 
and protection of children, conducted an impact study to 
identify risks and vulnerabilities for children in 2010.  The 
DSD then used Songololo's study when crafting the Child 
QDSD then used Songololo's study when crafting the Child 
Protection Action Plan.  The NMCF convened this conference to 
launch their "Champions for Children Campaign: 2010 and 
Beyond" which seeks to raise community awareness on the risks 
facing children and create a movement for the protection of 
children nationally and regionally.  Ms. Moipoine 
Buda-Ramatlo, Programmes Director for the NMCF, described a 
publicity campaign that will feature South Africans from all 
walks of life -- from former first lady Graca Machel to a 
school principal to a township grandmother -- declaring, "I 
am a champion for children.  Are you?"  Childline's 24-hour 
toll-free hot line will be advertised nationally before, 
during and after the World Cup. 
 
-------------------------- 
 
PRETORIA 00002671  002 OF 002 
 
 
WHAT WILL THE CHILDREN DO? 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U)  After the presentations by the DSD and various NGOs, 
grandmothers and teens from local community organizations 
participated in small group discussions among the 
stakeholders, providing "on the ground" context for the 
planning.  The number one concern of all participants was the 
SAG's agreement to close all public schools for the duration 
of the FIFA World Cup Tournament in order to cut down on 
traffic congestion. Participants complained that the SAG had 
"sold its soul to FIFA" with little thought to the 
implications of such a decision.  Concerns ranged from the 
safety of unaccompanied children drawn to cities by the 
excitement of fan parks to implementation and funding of 
feeding programs for the month that schools are closed (June 
11 - July 11). 
 
¶7. (U)  Joan van Niekerk, National Coordinator for Childline, 
described  a national inter-church initiative called The 
Ultimate Goal (www.theultimategoal.co.za) which aims to 
address some of these needs.  Churches who sign on to the 
program agree to run programs for the children of their 
community during the World Cup.  FIFA is organizing programs 
for children such as it's Football for Hope center in 
Khayelitsha on the outskirts of Cape Town.  Coca Cola and MTN 
will be sponsoring Township TVs, large outdoor screens where 
soccer matches and other World Cup festivities will be 
broadcast in low income communities. 
 
--------------- 
HIGH VISIBILITY 
--------------- 
 
¶8.  (U)  Poloff was not able to attend the second day of the 
campaign launch, but it enjoyed wide press coverage due to 
the involvement of former first lady Machel.  Machel 
characterized the campaign as a "call to ordinary people" to 
protect and care for the children of their communities and 
urged South Africans to act if they suspected a child was 
being harmed "in any way by anyone." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9.  (U)  South Africa is mounting an "all hands on deck" 
effort to protect children during the FIFA World Cup 2010. 
Their plans were test run during the FIFA Confederations Cup 
in June 2009 and the SAG seems satisfied that the Action Plan 
is thorough and effective.  If the DSD can successfully lobby 
the national government for increased funding, they will be 
better able to fully implement the training, capacity 
building and community mobilization aspects of the plan. 
Post will look for ways to support the SAG's efforts, 
especially with respect to providing for children's safety 
and well-being during the extended school break.  End 
comment. 
GIPS