GAUTENG STEPS UP CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM STREET BEGGING

By DSD News.

• The Gauteng Department of Social Development has intensified operations to remove children from street begging, in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs.
• The latest intervention led by MEC Faith Mazibuko in Johannesburg saw 19 children and 10 mothers placed in places of safety.
• Authorities emphasised that the practice violates the Children’s Act and that families will be supported to restore stability and dignity.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development, working alongside the Department of Home Affairs, has strengthened efforts to safeguard the rights of children and end the exploitation of minors through street begging.

On 16 August 2025, Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, led a coordinated operation in Johannesburg North and South which resulted in the removal of 19 children and 10 mothers from the streets. They were taken to designated places of safety for immediate care.

“Government continues to prioritise interventions that ensure the safety, dignity, and protection of our children. The laws of the country clearly prohibit the exploitation of children for commercial purposes. This worrisome phenomenon of children being used to beg on the streets cannot be allowed to persist,” said MEC Mazibuko.

She added that the Children’s Act mandates that any child found in such circumstances must be referred to a social worker for assessment and appropriate intervention. Section 150(1)(c) of the Act recognises any child who lives, works, or begs on the streets as a child in need of care and protection.

Through these ongoing interventions, the Gauteng Department of Social Development has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. At the same time, the Department is ensuring that families receive the necessary support to rebuild their lives with stability and dignity.