A response: Towards the Realisation of ECD in South Africa South Africa's ECD sector faces several significant challenges despite ongoing investments such as the DBE 2030 Strategy for ECD programmes and the Bana Pele ECD Registration Drive. Despite these efforts, high levels of child poverty are a pressing issue: As stated in the South African Early Childhood Review 2024, there are nearly 7 million children under the age of 6 years in South Africa, 70% of whom live below the poverty line, emphasising the need for affordable and accessible ECD services to support children’s development.
