“Dusk of night” joint inspection blitz nets two employers, 47 illegal workers and leads to closure of no-compliant factory
A joint large-scale inspection blitz by Department of Employment and Labour in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service (SAPS) last night (Tuesday) led to the closure of a clothing/textile factory, the arrest of two employers and 47 illegal workers.
The latest intensive operation - led by Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya and Mandeni Mayor Thabani Mdlalose was conducted in Mandeni (also Mandini), a town in iLembe District Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province about 96 km north of Durban - has been long in the making.
On the 11th of December 2023 the Department of Employment and Labour embarked on a three-day inspection blitz in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs, the Mandeni Metro Police, the South African Police Service, and the textile sector bargaining council in the area to enforce compliance with the country's labour, and immigration laws and deal with criminality prevalent in the area. Despite the 2023 operation not much has changed in Mandeni.
The Mandeni clothing and textile factories that exploit workers are known to be suppliers of South Africa's major retailing groups, some of whom are JSE Securities-listed.
The purpose of the inspection was to measure and assess the level of compliance with labour-law legislation, including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act and Employment Services Act, the National Minimum Wages Act, the Unemployment Insurance Act, the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act.
During last night's inspection blitz two factories - manufacturing among them clothing, pyjamas, jump suits, trousers and night dresses - Brightop (Pty) Ltd and “Kwa-Sandra" were inspected.
Brightop (Pty) Ltd was served with a prohibition notice for hiring illegal immigrants, failure to produce workers documents, paying workers at between R12-R17 per hour – which is below the current statutory National Minimum Wage of R28,79, not registering with Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Deases (Act), failing to adhere to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) by exposing workers to live wiring, failure to conduct risk assessment, and poor housekeeping.
“KwaSandra" was found to be not registered for Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Deases Act, not registering for UIF, and non-compliant with OHS.
Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya commended the inter-departmental team for its agility to deal with brazen criminality. Sibiya was appalled that a 14-year-old was found in one of the factories and said: “there should be consequences".
He was also disturbed by the “tons" of empty cans of energy drinks found on the factory floor, saying this was so because workers were subjected to 12-hour night shifts and by consuming these drinks they risked exposing their health to these ubiquitous energy beverages.
Department of Employment and Labour Inspector-General, Aggy Moiloa commended the joint team effort saying this will go a long way to making a difference in protection of the lives of the vulnerable workers.
The arrested illegal workers were mainly Lesotho and Malawi nationals and are expected to be processed at local police stations and be deported.
The inspection is expected to continue on Wednesday (today).
For media enquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za
#GovZAUpdates
