- Court asked to extend interim protection for Baby Savers SA and Door of Hope.
- Dispute centres on baby saver devices declared illegal by the Department of Social Development in 2023.
- At least 3 500 babies abandoned each year, with two out of three found dead.
The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is on 25 August 2025 hearing an urgent matter that could determine the future of baby saver devices in South Africa. Baby Savers SA, together with the Door of Hope Children’s Mission, are challenging the Department of Social Development over a directive that declared these devices illegal.
A baby saver device is a specially designed safe box or cradle, often attached to a hospital or children’s care facility wall, where a mother can anonymously and safely leave her newborn. The device ensures the baby is immediately attended to by trained staff, giving children a chance at life who might otherwise be abandoned in unsafe locations.
The dispute began in 2024, when the department threatened to close Door of Hope and remove the 57 children in its care, citing its use of a baby saver device. The organisation refused, saying the device had saved countless newborn lives since its installation.
Human Cost and Legal Stakes
For many South Africans, the story is deeply personal. Around 3,500 babies are abandoned every year, with two out of three found dead in unsafe locations like pit latrines, dumpsters, and open fields. Baby Savers SA and Door of Hope argue that banning these devices puts newborns at extreme risk, disregarding the first and most basic right, the right to life.
The DSD maintains that baby abandonment denies children their right to a family name and cultural heritage, but the applicants insist that life must come first. “Without life, there can be no talk of family or culture,” they say.
The legal battle also threatens the survival of Door of Hope, which has provided a safe haven for Johannesburg’s most vulnerable children for more than two decades. Despite the temporary court order in its favour, the organisation has been denied state funding, putting its ongoing operations at risk.
Baby Savers as a Lifeline
Advocates stress that baby saver devices are never an easy option, but a last resort for desperate mothers. “Unsafe abandonment should never be an option,” Baby Savers SA emphasises.
As the court deliberates on extending the temporary order, the outcome could shape South Africa’s child protection framework for years to come. For the thousands of babies whose lives hang in the balance, the decision is more than a legal technicality, it is a matter of survival.
Conviction.co.za
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