CAPE TOWN - Children in vulnerable situations are not symbols, evidence or campaign material, says Teddy Bear Clinic director Dr Shaheda Omar.
This comes after ActionSA Western Cape leader Dereleen James came under fire for exposing six children during a police “ride-along” in Mitchells Plain.
James livestreamed the operation as police entered a home suspected of drug activity. Children were present in the house, and their circumstances were broadcast publicly.
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Members of the public criticised the video, saying it violated the children’s rights and was not in their best interests.
"Any action, no matter how well-intentioned, that compromises children must be firmly challenged and corrected," said Omar.
She said the incident raises serious ethical and child protection concerns.
When children are in high-risk environments, such as drug dens, the best interests of the child must remain a non-negotiable principle, not political visibility or spectacle.
"From a child protection perspective, the actions are deeply problematic," she added.
In a statement on her Facebook page, James acknowledged the concerns raised, admitting she was not careful enough in protecting the children’s identities.
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"As soon as it was flagged, my team took steps to best hide them," she said.
"We will correct our approach to ensure that these processes are handled with the necessary care and responsibility," she added.
The children were later removed from the home by police.
James said this would be the first of many interventions her party plans to lead in communities.
"We are going to work to get it right and ensure that our most vulnerable are protected at all times," she said.
In March, James was announced as ActionSA’s Western Cape chairperson by party leader Herman Mashaba.
If this footage by @DereleenJ doesn't touch the core sense of your humanity, nothing will. https://t.co/vufDHZw84E
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) April 9, 2026
The incident has also drawn attention to previous controversies involving the party’s leadership.
Earlier in April, Mashaba reshared a digitally altered image of Dr Nandipha Magudumana, falsely suggesting she was pregnant while in custody. The image was later identified as artificially generated.
Mashaba has since defended James’s actions in Mitchells Plain, describing them as part of a “new era” in South African politics and calling it servant leadership.
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Omar emphasised that even if the intention was to highlight drug-related harm in communities, children should never be used in the process.
"Children should not be used directly or indirectly as part of a political narrative or media moment," she said.
"Advocacy should never come at the expense of children's safety."