means a child who—
| (a) | has been deserted by a parent, guardian or care-giver; |
| (b) | for no apparent reason, had no contact with the parent, guardian or care-giver for a period of at least three months; or |
| (c) | has, if applicable, no knowledge as to the whereabouts of the parent, guardian or care-giver and such information cannot be ascertained by the relevant authorities; |
[Definition substituted by section 1(a) of the Children's Amendment Act, 2022, Notice No. 1543, GG47828, dated 5 January 2023 - effective 8 November 2023 per Proclamation 142, GG49615 dated 8 November 2023]