A nation cannot claim to cherish its children when protection arrives only after innocence has already been stolen. A nation’s greatest measure is not found in its gross domestic product, or the promises contained in legislation, but in how it protects its children. South Africa’s laws are among the most progressive in the world, yet for far too many children, those protections exist only on paper. The recent delays in child maintenance payments processed through garnishee orders have once again exposed the fragility of systems. Legislatively, South Africa has promised its children protection, dignity and opportunity.