Meth said that the blitz inspections and raids yielded incredible results, with the department enforcing fines totalling over R10 million and arresting 81 non-documented workers.
MINISTER of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth addressed the media on a number of key initiatives the department has been working on, and this included the numerous inspections that were conducted on South African restaurants.
Meth said that the blitz inspections and raids yielded incredible results, with the department enforcing fines totalling over R10 million and arresting 81 non-documented workers.
Meth said that her department had collaborated with the Department of Home Affairs, the Bargaining Council of the Hospitality Sector and law enforcement to conduct the high impact blitz inspections.
“Our inspections have revealed instances of non-compliance, including underpayment of wages, unlawful deductions, and inadequate health and safety measures,” Meth explained.
“To date, we have enforced monetary corrections totalling over R10 million, compelling employers to rectify these violations and honour their obligations to their employees,” the minister said.
“Employers found in violation are issued compliance orders with clear deadlines for corrective action. In situations where immediate risks to health and safety are identified, Prohibition Notices are issued to halt hazardous activities until compliance is achieved,” she noted.
Meth said the Western Cape led with the highest number of inspections, totalling 809.
Gauteng followed with 764 inspections, and KwaZulu-Natal with 535.
The department also conducted 217 inspections in the North West, 82 in the Eastern Cape, 69 in the Free Sate and 59 in Mpumalanga.
Undocumented workers
The minister said that she is extremely concerned about over the employment of undocumented workers.
“Concurrently, the widespread employment of undocumented foreign nationals raises concerns over exploitation and the circumvention of legal hiring practices,“ she said.
“Our administration is committed to addressing these challenges comprehensively and humanely. We are collaborating closely with the Department of Home Affairs to ensure that employment practices comply with immigration laws, and that all workers, regardless of their origin, are treated with dignity and fairness,” Meth explained.
In order to further strengthening oversight and enforcement, the department has plans to expand their inspectorate capacity from 2,000 to 20,000 inspectors over the next three years.
The hope is that this will help enhance the department’s ability to conduct more frequent and thorough inspections across SA.
“To maximise the effectiveness of our inspections, we will implement a risk profiling system. This approach will allow us to prioritise audits and inspections based on identified risks, thereby improving our capacity to address high-priority non-compliance areas more efficiently.
“Our enforcement strategy will be integrated and risk-based, enabling us to address all compliance issues at the workplace in a holistic and comprehensive manner, ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met.
“Our commitment extends beyond enforcement; it is about fostering social justice and ensuring that every worker’s rights are protected,” she concluded.
