​The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) hosted a Nigerian government delegation that was in the country on study tour on child justice system. The delegation visited the Soshanguve Secure Centre, which is run by the department for children in conflict with the law.
The delegation also met with the country’s law makers to exchange ideas on policy. The meeting, which was attended by bureaucrats, shared experiences, best practice models, and feasibility study on policy, enabling environment on advances promoting child justice system, including diversion, specialized courts for children and institutional training for judicial officers.

The Department of Social Development is an important stakeholder in the implementation of an effective child justice system as a custodian of diversion and secure care programs. Amongst the legislative mandates of the department as part of the planned visit was to expose the delegation to a Secure Care Centre (SCC) so that they have a first-hand experience of a SCC model and diversion programs.

Head of Institution Patricia Ramere said the institution has a system of admission for children in conflict with the law including those on diversion program by the court.

Nigerian Ministry of Justice Director Leticia Ayvolu–Daniels thanked her South African counterparts for the valuable information and said, “It is a great learning that that here you have institutions that cater for both boys and girls while back home they are separated”.

Currently the Soshanguve Secure Care Centre caters for about 91 young people, with 70 on diversion, 37 still awaiting trials, 11 children with behavior challenge.