Mbabane – Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Welcome Dlamini has appealed to the police and the Municipal Council of Mbabane (MCM) to eliminate begging and the use of minor children selling on the streets.
Dlamini, who directed the appeal to the Mbabane Police Station commander, said the issue was now getting out of hand, with most corners either flooded by minors as young as 8 years old vending or begging for money and food at night.
Dlamini made his submission last Tuesday during the MCM Annual General Meeting. He warned of threats to the minors’ lives and health, escalating trafficking risks, as well as exposure to other social ills.
Dlamini admonished parents against turning minors into vendors to do work rather than focusing on doing their homework after school. He said if children are on the streets in the evenings, they may no longer find the time to do their schoolwork or study.
“The burden of providing for a family rest on the shoulders of the parent; however, it seems like parents are now delegating the task of finding the next meal to the children. That is why you find them on the streets begging even at night because when they go back home, they must return with something for the family,” he said.
He said it was important that this issue be nipped in the bud before it gets out of hand, as it is a breeding ground for many social ills.
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