employers
19 April 2006
Two KwaZulu-Natal companies stand to be fined R500 000 each for flouting
employment equity laws.
The Durban Labour Court today (Wednesday) postponed judgment against the two
Newcastle-based textile companies, Jinghua Garments and Win Cool Industries,
after they applied for leave to oppose the application brought against them by
the Department of Labour.
After years of using the carrot-and-stick approach in enforcing the
countryâs equity legislation, the Department for the first time prosecuted the
two for continuous violations of Sections 20 and 21 of the Employment Equity
Act respectively.
These sections compel employers to display the law on their notice boards
and require them to send their equity plans to the Department. During
proceedings of the two separate cases today, lawyers of the two companies asked
for more time to prepare opposing affidavits to the application.
Granting the adjournments, the Court ordered the two respondents to pay for
the costs of todayâs postponement and ordered them to submit their opposing
affidavits within 10 working days.
The two cases against the companies were referred to the Labour Court last
year following a series of blitz inspections by the Departmentâs inspectors in
the Newcastle area in 2003.
Enquiries:
Mokgadi Pela
Cell: 082 808 2168
Issued by: Department of Labour
19 April 2006
