GOOD Press Statement by Celeste Wannenburgh
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
23 August 2023
The GOOD Party is urging the City of Cape Town to prioritise early childhood development and assist the unregistered ECD Centres with compliance and registration.
The City has a total of 2,620 ECD centres but over half are not registered according to the ECD Census of 2021.
The shocking number of unregistered facilities, speaks volumes about the need for safe spaces for parents to leave their children, supervised, during the day.
Often parents only discover the centre is noncompliant when a tragedy happens.
ECD Centres are required to pay a registration fee, submit a Zoning compliance; Land use and building compliance; Fire and safety compliance; and Environmental health and food preparation compliance.
But many ECD centres have complained about the cost of obtaining the required documentation.
By the City’s own admission, “We have a duty to provide Cape Town’s young children, in particular those found in the low socio-economic index, with the best possible start to their formative development so that they can unlock their full potential and rise above their circumstances.”
The GOOD party calls on the City of Cape Town to take responsibility and assist with making the existing ECDs on their acknowledgement list compliant as soon as possible.
Media Enquiries:
Celeste Wannenburgh, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
Cell: 061 116 5392
Email: cmkwannenburgh@gmail.com
Samantha Jackson, GOOD Acting Media Manager
Cell: 083 550 9875
Email: media@forgood.org.za