Five children rescued from drug den in South Africa(Photo)

Five young children were removed from the care of their drug addict parents at a drug den in Eldorado Park southern Johannesburg, following a visit to the family home by South African Police Service officers.

The police and social workers were called to a house last Friday where the children between the ages of one month and nine years old were subjected to appalling living conditions including witnessing how their parents used drugs in front of them.

A family member, who wants to remain anonymous, has told Eyewitness News that she reported the matter to a social worker.

She says she doesn’t regret making the phone call, as she still hopes her brother and sister-in-law will receive urgent help to stop their drug addiction.

“It’s not right, that’s why we went to complain, we wanted actual help.”

The woman says that the children’s grandmother in an adjacent house had to look after the children when their parents were doing drugs.

“We as a family always go there to help my mother with food and stuff because they don’t get grants for them.”

Mbangwa of the Gauteng Social Development Department says a team met with community members on Tuesday.

“Three of them have been reunited with their families. The other two because their parents seem to have had drug problems, social workers are still ascertaining. They are kept in a place of safety to ascertain the next plan of action.”