Men’s Voice commemorates Child Protection Week
Some parents are not aware that child labour is a criminal offence.
The Men’s Voice non-profit organisation held a parents workshop in commemoration of the Child Protection Week on Wednesday, May 18.
The organisation said it saw a need to have such an educational session due to a high number of vulnerable children in eMbalenhle.
When talking to parents in attendance, auxiliary social worker, Nhlanhla Mathe said the organisation noticed that some parents are ignoring children’s constitutional rights.
“We noticed that when some parents fight, they use a child as their protection, they shift their responsibility onto the children.
“Some parents are not aware that child labour is a criminal offence, you find a child getting house to house selling and you ask him or her on whose stock he or she is caring, they point to their parents.
That’s a criminal offence and is punishable under children’s act.
“Children must not work or be employed by anyone including their parents, we must even stop to say my child needs to know how to work and make money in early age because that is called child labour.
“Their role is to play and go to school, don’t deny them their childhood,” said Mathe.
Other parents raised concerns about others who are using children support grant to buy liquor and gambling with it while neglecting their children.
One parent said some parents leave their children alone the whole weekend while the adults go to shebeens, or they take their children with them in taverns.
Men’s Voice encouraged parents to report all those who are abusing children to the police and warn them of not to send children’s to the shops to buy especially at night.
