ActionSA Member of Parliament Dereleen James has delivered a scathing critique of both the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the local community following the heartbreaking death of young Jayden Lee Meek. In a powerful statement, James said the system failed to protect the child, and raised serious concerns about how the case was handled from the beginning.
James questioned why police failed to search the mother’s flat immediately—especially after she reportedly refused them entry. “That alone should have been a massive red flag,” she said, highlighting that, in many cases, perpetrators are people closest to the victim. She also pointed to chilling details revealed after the fact: Jayden’s body was found warm the next day, raising the haunting possibility that he had been in the flat all along—possibly still alive.
While James acknowledged SAPS for ultimately arresting the mother and moving forward with charges, she called the response “too much, too late.” The opportunity to intervene earlier was missed, she said, and that delay may have cost Jayden his life.
Offering heartfelt condolences to Jayden’s grieving family and classmates, James pledged that ActionSA will continue to demand accountability and advocate for stronger child protection policies. “We owe it to Jayden, and every other child who has been failed, to never look away again,” she said.
