In an effort to step up the campaign to ensure compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) laws, the Department of Labour is to continue with a national programme to train prosecutors starting with state prosecutors in Brits, west of Pretoria on Friday (March 1).
The first such training took place at the local magistrate’s court on February 8. Zakes Mogwatlhe, training co-ordinator, said the training would beef up the work of inspectors who have visited several workplaces across the country to enforce the OHS regulations.
He said: “OHS prosecutions are a national challenge and therefore we have decided as the department to take the training of prosecutors to all nine provinces. We will also use the occasion to provide the legislation and explain what penalties and fines are app’’
The programme takes place against the backdrop of continuing cases of glaring violation of OHS laws by employers across the country, particularly in high-risk sectors like agriculture, chemical, mining and construction.
The issue has also been highlighted by a number of high-profile blitz inspections led by labour Minister, Mildred Oliphant during the 2011/12 period in places as far afield as Dumbe in northern KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Mogwatlhe said providing training for prosecutors was crucial as they are a vital element in the cog of enforcement.
