Pretoria - The Department of Labour has conducted inspections in 200 000 workplaces countrywide in the past year and ensured 80 percent compliance with various aspects of labour legislation, Parliament heard on Wednesday.
Addressing a Select Committee on Labour and Public Enterprises hearing in Cape Town, acting Director General of the Department, Sam Morotoba, said the inspections were aimed at protecting vulnerable workers in line with the department's mandate.
He said 192 129 workplaces were inspected and audited. These resulted in an impressive compliance rate of 77 percent.
"In terms of our achievements resulting from the inspections, 378 of these inspections were conducted in high risk sectors to enforce compliance with Occupational Health and Safety aspects. High risk includes chemical, iron and steel as well as construction," Morotoba said.
He said the department had held seminars in the iron and steel, hospitality, forestry as well as construction fields during the same period. A total of 1021 shop stewards were trained in legislation such as the Employment Equity Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act as well Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Morotoba added that the department had managed to resolve 80 percent of the complaints received.
"A total of 120 566 from a figure of 154 441 complaints received were investigated and 116 131 [75 percent] were settled within 90 days," he said.
A further 65 347 job seekers were provided with career counseling and guidance while 25 814 were referred for work placement opportunities with 12 801 successfully placed. During the same period, 451 950 job seekers were referred to the Unemployment Insurance Fund for benefits payment, said Morotoba.
He said 8 732 workers injured in the course of employment were referred to the Compensation Fund for benefits while 7 217 job seekers were referred for skills development opportunities.
