The Department of Labour’s public hearings kicked off in earnestness in kwaMhlanga, North east of Pretoria on Monday.
The process seeks to solicit views of industry stakeholder across the country and will culminate with labour Minister Mildred Oliphant setting new wages for the sector.
Mogodi Masenya, Department of Labour’s employment standard official told scores of those attending that they should take the opportunity to make inputs either verbally or in writing for consideration by the Employment Condition Commission (ECC) the body that advices the minister on wages and other conditions of employment.
Current minimum wages for the taxi sector includes, drivers being paid R2 449.00 per month and rank marshals R1969.00 over the same period. He said the process will include research done by the University of Pretoria on the economic status of the industry.
“That research will establish whether it is feasible for the industry to pay those wages,” Masenya said.
The Department of Labour’s team will proceed to Witbank tomorrow for the session on the hospitality sector before winding down in Nelspruit and Lydenburg on Wednesday.
