levels
18 July 2007
Labour inspectors have vowed to leave no stone unturned when they step up
their inspection campaign for the wholesale and retail sector in the Vryheid
and Paulpietersburg areas over the next few weeks targeting unscrupulous
employers who intentionally disregard the law.
Already, five employers from Vryheid and Paulpietersburg had to refund their
staff, mainly general assistants, for underpayment of wages amounting to a
total of R28 726.
It has been found that most of the violations relating to the non-adherence
to the minimum wage levels, having no contracts of employment in place and
failure to issue payslips, mainly come from employers in these areas. Umdeni
Supermarket which topped the list had to pay their workers R10 965,30, followed
by African Price Shop (R7 161,50), Chinese Shop 125 (R6 594,80), Wozani Store
(R2 505,20) and Inkosi Store(R1 500,00).
Earlier this year employers of Umdeni Supermarket were arrested by local
police after attempting to bribe a labour inspector. Vigilant inspections have
also revealed that a general assistant from Chinese Shop 125 was found to be
earning as little as R100 per week in the Vryheid area. In Paulpietersburg,
another shop, African Price, was paying its general assistant only R140 per
week.
The sectoral determination for the wholesale and retail sector sets the
minimum wage for general assistants at R316,80 per week in Vryheid (Area B) and
R301,05 per week in Paulpietersburg (Area C).
"It is not acceptable that workers still earn less than the prescribed
minimum wage more than four years after the sectoral determination for the
wholesale and retail sector came into effect. This sort of exploitation is
totally unacceptable and labour inspectors will act swiftly to deal with anyone
who intentionally breaks the law," said Zolisa Sigabi, Spokesperson for the
Ministry of Labour.
Enquiries:
Zolisa Sigabi
Cell: 082 906 3878
E-mail: Zolisa.sigabi@labour.co.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
18 July 2007
