One in three South African children orphaned

SHOOT: Doesn't say much for the potential of this country to emerge as a crime-free nation.

clipped from www.mg.co.za "Estimates show that by 2015, some 5 700 000 or 32% of all children in South Africa would have lost one or both parents due to HIV/Aids," said Gail Eddy, a researcher at the Institute of Race Relations. In 2008 there were 1,5-million Aids orphans according to the country's health department. "What exacerbates the lack of support for these children, is that South Africa has a shortage of social workers who are responsible for identifying vulnerable children and providing them with the necessary support," she said. Nearly 495 000 Aids orphans are in foster care, but the government is encouraging more adoptions so orphans can have permanent families. But only a tiny fraction of the Aids orphans, about 1 900, were adopted by South Africans last year, a drop of nearly 13% from the previous year.