According to this article on News24, smacking your child is now a criminal offence, punishable by a minimum fine of R300. I don’t get it. In my opinion, and as I’ve stated earlier, a good smack on the butt is still the number one ear opener for any child. I’ve grown up with it, and my kids will grow up with it. The government is trying to get people to stop abusing and degrading children, and I agree that it has to stop, but they’re going about it in the wrong way.
At this point, the law makes it easy for undisciplined teens to get back at their parents for something they deserved in the first place.
Government needs to change this law urgently! A parent should not be prosecuted for disciplining their children, unless they are doing it in the wrong way.
And for the offenders that should be prosecuted, a R300 fine is not a deterrent to stop abusing their children, and the children would probably be too scared to report their parents anyway, knowing that the moment the parent gets back from paying the fine, there will be hell to pay.
If someone is abusing a child, the child should be taken away, without the option of getting the child back ever. That would be more of a deterrent than a small fine.