Child Labour Rules in South Africa
 

South African Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana approved draft regulations in late March to protect child workers in the country.

A research project on the extent of child workers, begun in November last year, should show results by June or July, and would be followed by a programme to eliminate all child labour. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act says in effect that the Minister may set conditions for the employment of children over 15 years.

The Parliament's Committee on Children and Disabilities was also informed that the regulations would specify the sectors these children could work in and under what conditions. They were designed to protect children's health and safety.

The approved draft will now be forwarded to Welfare Minister Zola Skweyiya for his approval.

Under the act, children under 15 may work in advertising, sport, cultural or artistic activities -- but no others -- with the
minister's permission. The Department was seeking this formal exemption as one could not use a grown child for a nappy advertisement

While the true extent of child labour in South Africa is not known, estimates suggest that as many as 200,000 children are working.

Statistics South Africa has been commissioned to carry out research to identify how many children are employed, in which sectors of the economy, and with what workplace hazards.