Labour Minister, Mildred Nelisiwe Oliphant, is set to put illegal child labour practices under microscope when she addresses a National Child Labour Day commemoration in Stellenbosch (Western Cape) on Monday, 4 April. The meeting will build on the Minister’s campaign to support the International Labour Organisation’s efforts to end the practice and to call for decisive action by governments and stakeholders around the world.
“Child labour is a scourge that cries out to heaven for decisive action by all roleplayers in the labour market and the world over,” said Oliphant. She said the largest sector for child labour practices was agriculture, where most of these children work as unpaid family members.
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. Children aged 15 to 18 may not be employed to do work inappropriate for their age, or work that places them at risk. The Act further states that any work performed by a child should not be exploitative, hazardous or otherwise inappropriate for the child’s age, detrimental to the child’s schooling or detrimental to the child’s social, physical, mental, spiritual or moral development.
About 200 school children aged between 10 and 14 and key stakeholders in the child protection fraternity are to attend the event.
Media is invited and should RSVP to:
Temba Gubula
Cell: 078 735 8809
E-mail: temba.gubula@labour.gov.za
Details of the event are as follows:
Venue: Moyo (Spier Country Estate), Stellenbosch
Time: 10h00 Sharp
Date: 4 April 2011
Enquiries:
Mzobanzi Jikazana
Cell: 083 641 2355
