Employment and Labour uncovers child labour in Marabastad shop

Employment and Labour uncovers child labour in one of the shops at Marabastad

Following the blitz inspections conducted in Tshwane at Marabastad on Monday, 08 August 2022, the Department of Employment and Labour, through the National Roving Team, discovered a child working in one of the shops.

“It is appalling and inacceptable, especially given the recent international conference on the elimination of child labour, which was held in South Africa in May 2022, hence there is an international call to end child labour”; said Advocate Bede.

SAPS has since arrested both the mother and the employer as a result of this discovery. In handling this matter, the Department is collaborating with other relevant government departments.

Employing a child is a criminal offense under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. Children must attend school and not be assigned inappropriate work. The Department takes child labour very seriously and wishes to convey the message that employing children must be prohibited.

The Department would like to emphasise that employing children to do inappropriate work is a criminal offense and when it comes to child labour and other violations of labour laws, the Department will leave no stone unturned.

The Department encourages all citizens to get involved by reporting such cases to the Department and the South African Police Services if they become aware of them. We can make South Africa a better place if we work together.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694 / teboho.thejane@labour.gov.zaMediaqueries@labour.gov.za  

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