Bheki Cele asks the state to pay for Ongeziwe Kamlana’s funeral

Police Minister Bheki Cele has called on Social Development to pay for the late Ongeziwe Kamlana’s funeral.

Minister Cele visited the family after her death, accompanied by some of the country’s top police officers. He urged the Department of Social Development (DSD) to help Ongeziwe’s family pay for her funeral costs.

The Department of Social Development (DSD) plays a vital role in community development and social assistance.

Does her disappearance mean the department’s role was too late?

Here’s more about the case, and why it speaks volumes about South Africa’s social help system.

PAY FOR THE FUNERAL, BHEKI CELE ASKS

Estimates say that one person disappears in South Africa every six seconds.

Ongeziwe Kamlana, a 15 year-old girl from Gugulethu, unfortunately became part of South Africa’s missing persons statistics. She disappeared from home in February.

Her case is similar to hundreds of South African cases.

sometimes justice comes too late.

Minister Cele visited the family, calling on Minister Lindiwe Zulu to assist the family with funeral costs. The family have said they can’t pay for a funeral without help.

Cele also focused on the event’s tragic end, where help isn’t found in time.

SHOULD MINISTER ZULU AGREE TO THE REQUEST MADE BY BHEKI CELE?

The Department of Social Development (DSD) provides social services.

Anyone who needs assistance can apply.

It’s not just about ‘welfare checks’, but welfare promotion as a whole. The department is about Ubuntu, or helping others.

The Department of Social Development provides help, but many cases miss their reporting system.

Should Minister Zulu pay for her funeral?

WHAT DSD CAN DO

Social Development provides assistance to persons or families.

SASSA pays social grants, but Social Development is in charge of other social assistance forms.

It’s more than ‘welfare checks’, but also about welfare asistance. South Africans who aren’t coping, can ask DSD for help.

If DSD can’t help you, they can refer you to the right department or person.

That’s the department’s mission.

REPORT MISSING PERSONS

Report missing persons when they go missing.

Contact the South African Police Service (SAPS) to file a missing persons report

There’s no waiting period for missing persons reports in South Africa. File a report on immediate suspicion – don’t wait.