Government's first coordinated nationwide labour enforcement blitz has uncovered widespread labour law violations at a Tshwane textile factory, with workers stating that they were underpaid, worked excessive hours without overtime, lacked basic employment protections and were locked inside the factory during night shifts.
The inspections, conducted simultaneously across all nine provinces on Friday by the Departments of Employment and Labour and Home Affairs, led by Deputy Ministers Jomo Sibiya and Njabulo Nzuza, resulted in the arrest of the director of Korteks Textiles Africa (Pty) Ltd for allegedly employing undocumented foreign nationals.
Eight undocumented foreign nationals were also arrested.
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Jomo Sibiya said inspectors found the company was failing to comply with several labour and immigration laws.
“What we have found here is that this company... is literally not complying with a number of our labour and immigration laws,” he said.
Among the findings was the alleged underpayment of workers, who were earning R28 an hour instead of the national minimum wage of R30.23 an hour.
Inspectors also found that employees allegedly worked beyond their scheduled 12-hour shifts without overtime pay, while some were not registered with the UIF or Compensation Fund, lacked employment contracts and were not provided with personal protective equipment.
Workers further complained that they were locked inside the factory from 6pm until 7am during night shifts and received only a one-week shutdown in December instead of annual leave.
“It's a litany of challenges and undermining a number of our laws that we have observed in this company, and we are going to make sure that there is change,” Sibiya said.
He said the Department of Employment and Labour would calculate outstanding wages owed to workers.
“We are going to calculate how much they owe workers. We are going to go back and make sure that they are paid whatever that they are owed.”
Sibiya said employing undocumented foreign nationals was a criminal offence.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza rejected claims that some undocumented employees were permitted to work while awaiting documentation, as alleged by the director of the company.
Nzuza said tackling employers who knowingly hire undocumented foreign nationals is critical to reducing illegal migration.
“The issue here is that we are cutting the demand for illegal migrant labour. That will deal with our problem of the influx of illegal people because they are guaranteed a job, even though they are illegal,” Nzuza said.
The inspections formed part of government's first nationwide multidisciplinary blitz operation involving the Departments of Employment and Labour, Home Affairs, SAPS and other enforcement agencies. Simultaneous inspections were conducted across all nine provinces to strengthen compliance with labour, immigration and related legislation aimed at protecting workers' rights. – SAnews.gov.za
