The Gauteng Department of Social Development says over 1, 000 crèches in the province alone are unregistered.
This comes after a video emerged of a woman assaulting small children at a Carletonville facility.
Ninnies Neurons Crèche, where the incident took place has been operating illegally as its temporary permit expired two years ago.
The crèche has now been closed.
Out of about 2900 Early Childhood Development centres over 1100 on the provincial database are unregistered.
The majority of them face challenges like municipal zoning issues or outstanding health certificates but some could put children at risk.
Officials are promising they are doing what they can to reduce the number.
The department says it will soon publish a list of all registered ECDs in the province.
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SOurce: eNCA