A five-year-old South African girl, born in a Mauritian prison, is set to be repatriated to South Africa after spending her entire life with her incarcerated mother. The Department of Social Development confirmed the child is one of 24 children to be repatriated over the past decade. Her mother, a South African national, was arrested in Mauritius in 2019 on suspicion of narcotics trafficking. During her imprisonment, the mother learned she was pregnant, and the child has since lived with her in the prison.
In Mauritius, children are permitted to stay with their incarcerated mothers until the age of five. As the child has now reached this age, the law mandates her departure from the prison. The Department of Social Development has been working closely with authorities in Mauritius to ensure the girl’s safe return to her home country. A South African delegation is scheduled to bring the child back to South Africa on Friday, where she will be reunited with her family.
The department emphasized that, had the child not been repatriated, she would have been placed in the Mauritian welfare system, a situation the department believes would not serve the child’s best interests. According to Bathembu Futshane, a spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, such a placement could complicate the child’s potential reunification with her South African family, making repatriation critical for her well-being and future prospects.
The South African authorities have conducted thorough assessments of the child’s family situation and found that the nominated grandmother, who lives in the North West province, is a suitable caregiver. The grandmother has agreed to take responsibility for the child and provide care while her mother remains incarcerated. This arrangement ensures that the child will have a stable and familiar environment upon her return to South Africa.
This case underscores ongoing challenges related to South African citizens incarcerated abroad and the welfare of their children. The repatriation of the child is a significant milestone in a broader effort by the Department of Social Development to address these issues and ensure that children born in foreign prisons are not left vulnerable within foreign welfare systems. The department’s intervention highlights its commitment to safeguarding the rights of South African children, even when they are born far from home.
The return of the young girl also raises questions about the support and care available to children of incarcerated parents and the importance of family reunification in cases of cross-border legal issues. While the mother’s legal battle continues, for now, her child is assured of being placed in the care of a loving family member in South Africa, awaiting the eventual return of her mother.
