2 Arrested for Child Labour, Employment Department Rules Practice As “Appalling and Unacceptable”

• The Department of Employment and Labour recently discovered a child working in a shop and arrested two people
• The child's mother was one of those arrested and the department ruled the practice as appalling and unacceptable
• According to the labour department, employing a child is a criminal offence, and children should be at school

TSHWANE - The Department of Employment and Labour has slammed child labour as appalling and unacceptable. This follows an inspection in Marabastad recently where the department’s National Roving Team discovered a child working in a shop.

The child’s mother and the employer were arrested for employing a minor. According to a release issued by the department to Briefly News, employing a child is a criminal offence, and children should be at school.

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

Citizens are encouraged to play an active role by reporting cases of child labour to the department and SAPS.

Earlier this year, the fifth Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour was held in Durban, and delegates committed to ending the practice. According to the department, it is estimated that 160 million children are involved in child labour globally.

7 Chinese nationals accused of human trafficking back in court

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the seven Chinese nationals who were nabbed for allegedly running a human trafficking ring are set to appear at the Johannesburg High Court today. Six of them were given bail, and one of them is still in custody after trying to flee the country.

They were arrested after the police received a tip-off that they were allegedly involved in trafficking illegal immigrants into South Africa to do forced labour.

Source: Briefly News