International Day of Play: A Right, Not a Privilege

GOOD Statement by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament:

Today, on International Day of Play, the GOOD Party stands in defence of every child’s right to play – safely, freely, and with dignity. Play is not a privilege. It is a right, enshrined in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which South Africa has ratified. Article 31 explicitly states:

“States Parties recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child… and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.”

But in Cape Town, where inequality runs deep, the right to play is unevenly enjoyed. For many children growing up in working-class communities, “play” is too often shaped by broken equipment, unsafe environments, and neglected public infrastructure.

Earlier this year, 6-year-old Adyaan Benjamin was seriously injured in a Manenberg park when a swing snapped beneath him. In 2021, 10-year-old Kayden Marco from Delft tragically lost his life when a metal wheel collapsed in a City park. And in the same year, in Khayelitsha, two-year-old Imthande Swartbooi drowned after falling into an uncovered manhole, a tragic failure in the City’s basic duty of care. These are not isolated incidents. They are the result of a systemic neglect of infrastructure and public spaces in poorer areas of Cape Town, areas where safe places to play are most needed.

While the City boasts of playgrounds and green spaces, the quality, safety, and maintenance of these spaces are not equal. Children in Constantia and Green Point enjoy lush, secure parks. But children in Bonteheuwel, Nyanga, and Manenberg are left to navigate broken swings, rusted equipment and open drains.

If the City of Cape Town is serious about child development, public safety, and dignity for all, then it must prioritise play equitably. By assessing and upgrading parks in historically underfunded areas. As well as ensuring ongoing maintenance and rapid response to damage or hazards.

Play should unite our city, not reflect its inequalities.
It is essential in shaping the way children learn, grow, and engage with the world around them.

On this International Day of Play, we call on the City to stop treating play as an afterthought and start treating it as a right. One that belongs to every child, in every community.

GOOD Manifesto on Public Participation: Encouraging public participation in decision-making processes.

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