Cost of living pushes struggling parents to resort to illegal ECDs: Expert

Teddy Bear Foundation clinical director Shaheda Omar says the economic climate in the country leaves some parents without many options when it comes to enrolling their children in daycare centres/schools.

Omar was reacting to the news that the four children who died in Mayfair, Johannesburg, were left unattended at an unregistered daycare centre.

The children below the age of 2 lost their lives due to smoke inhalation when the house they were in went up in flames.

The centre reportedly housed around ten children at the time of the blaze, while there are allegations that there are over 70 people living on the property.

Speaking to Ynews, Omar says this could have been avoided had proper processes been followed.

Omar called on parents to also ensure that they do adequate research on the centres they place their children and to check if they are registered with the Education Department.

She says government needs to prioritise children’s safety and do more to ensure that people who run ECDs register their businesses.

 

Meanwhile the mother of one of the children, says she doesn’t know how she will recover from this tragedy.

She says her child has been in the daycare since they were 3 months and never imagined an incident like this would happen.

 

MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku says those responsible must face the full might of the law.

 

4 children lost their lives to a fire at an illegal crèche in Mayfair. my heart is heavy. I’ll be following that story closely

— the Gonzolist (@YoTay_) May 19, 2025

Really heartbreaking, 4 toddlers lost their lives in a fire in Mayfair. Another unsafe building with no city approval. There are hundreds more like this in Ward 58, and disasters are waiting to happen. Some houses hold over 400 people. When will the city take this seriously.

— Aziz (@AzizAlly16) May 19, 2025

People have been complaining to the City of Joburg for years about bylaw enforcement; rules and regulations, overcrowding, etc. in those areas for decades. Nothing.
The COJ has ignored bylaw enforcement for decades.
This is the normal ANC approach.
Ignore issues and hopefully the…

— JN (@UnityInSA) May 20, 2025

They should investigate why rooms are being let out to a whole family living in one room and then overloading the grid with stoves and heaters in those rooms. Not to talk about the flats coming up, overloading the grid even more!

— Yumna (@Yumna564905) May 20, 2025

Innocent children lost their lives due to a pathetic government and municipality

— Dirk (@hikerdb) May 20, 2025