The article, entitled “Should sex workers be classified as essential workers?” addresses the demand by sex workers to be deemed as essential workers, as their business has been allegedly affected.
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force has argued that ‘sex work is also work’, therefore sex workers should be included in the COVID-19 employment benefit scheme. This is a controversial issue as prostitution is illegal in South Africa and subject to criminal penalties, however, there are many sex workers active in this country.
The questions determined in Koshesayi (left) and Zimbini’s article are whether the services of sex workers are so essential, that they should be able to continue working during the lockdown and whether they are so vulnerable that they need relief and protection from loss of earnings during this period, in light of the fact that sex work is illegal.
Passionate about changing lives and becoming an advocate against women and child abuse, Zimbini
was the second recipient of the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation bursary in 2018 to continue her Law studies at Mandela University.
The De Rebus journal is aimed at South African attorneys and is published monthly by the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA).
The journal's goal is to be an independent and questioning observer of the legal profession with authoritative, frank and sometimes contentious editorial content. It strives to present a comprehensive overview of developments in the legal profession.
Read the article online at: http://www.derebus.org.za/should-sex-workers-be-classified-as-essential-workers/