4 April
Child Labour Day is commemorated on 4 April to give a clear distinction between Child Work and Child Labour. Research indicates that of those children found to be working almost 60 percent did so in order to help their parents financially. This clearly constitutes Child Labour and is therefore unacceptable.
Child Work is defined as a child performing menial tasks such as mowing the lawn, washing dishes and generally helping in the home etc. These tasks should however not be exploitative, hazardous or inappropriate for the child’s age or detrimental to the child’s social, physical, mental, spiritual or moral development.
According to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, it is a criminal offence to employ a child younger than 15, except in the performing arts with a permit from the Department of Labour. Children aged 15 to 18 may not be employed to do work inappropriate for their age, or work that places them at risk.
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