The girls start work at dawn and work the same hours as the adults, knocking off just before sunset six-days a week. None of the girls go to school or receive any kind of formal education. Twenty-two year old Jeanette Mbiza is mother to one of the babies and openly told inspectors that she was expected to pay her child s minder R50 per month, or just over R2 per day, from her own meagre salary. There is no time during the day for me to look after my baby or even take her to doctors. Maritz claimed ignorance of laws prohibiting the use of workers younger than 15-years old.
Life is very bad here.
As an illegal Mozambican, Milane says she is afraid to complain about work conditions but says she feels workers should be paid more for working 12-hours per day, six days per week . We only rest on Sundays, when we pray for a better life. Maritz insisted his farm paid the highest wages and offered some of the best working conditions in the region. He said that all workers received free accommodation, maize meal, and occasional rice and soya mince packages. Mampuru and his team were distinctly unimpressed and formally charged Maritz with employing underaged workers and illegal immigrants.