Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said 62 of farms visited in the East Cape by inspectors were found not to be complying with labour laws.
Oliphant was speaking during a community Imbizo in Stutterheim following an intense farms blitz inspection. The minister said the department appreciate that labour unions and employer organisation Agri Eastern Cape were part of the blitz during the visit to farms.
Stutterheim (Cumakala) is located more than 80km from East London. The area is part of Amahlathi Municipality and forms part of the Local Municipalities under Amathole District Municipality. Others include Cathcart, Kei Road, Keiskammahoek, Frankfort, and portions of villages of King Williams Town and Tsomo. The area’s economy is mainly ‘fuelled’ by agriculture and tourism.
“We has issued out notices of non-compliance with labour laws. We will come back in 21 days and do follow up inspections. We have found that Sector Determination is not being fully implemented in the farms. The challenge is that workers do not know their rights and as a department we have made a commitment to come and train them on their rights,” Oliphant said.
Sectoral Determination deals with the protection of workers in vulnerable sectors/areas of work. The determination sets minimum working hours, minimum wages, number of leave days and termination rules.
The determination applies to sectors such as forestry; domestic, contract cleaning; children workers in the performance of advertising, artistic and cultural activities; taxi sector; farm worker; civil engineering; hospitality; learnerships; private security sector; wholesale and retail sector.
Other prominent non-compliances relate to provision for fire evacuations, protective equipment, a copy of the Act and sanitation. Employers were issued with prohibition notices and labour inspectors will be scheduled to conduct follow-up visits after 60 days.
In regard to the ongoing plight of former mineworkers in the region, Oliphant said the department was aware of people who were masquerading in the province promising to help people recover their monies. She cautioned the public not to allow themselves to be swindled by paying for services they could get for free from the department. She said the matter was receiving attention.
“The matter of former mineworkers is being handled by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Section of the Department and the Office of the Premier in the province. As a department we have assisted the some people trying to get their monies and paid several of them.
“We are also waiting for information from Mineral Resources department, because we cannot pay the beneficiaries without verifying the records of former employees, including those of their forefathers and those workers that are still alive. Those who qualify for claims are the ones in which the mining companies were contributing their UIF and pension benefits,” she said.
