In a push to deepen compliance with labour legislation Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant will lead a blitz inspection during her two-day visit to the Northern Cape province on Friday, 19 August 2011.
Oliphant's latest blitz will focus on the farming sector. The blitz inspections will be followed by a media briefing to be addressed by the Minister.
During her visit Minister Oliphant will meet with the Provincial Management Committee of the Department of Labour. The Minister's visit will culminate on Saturday with an imbizo at Pampierstad Stadium starting at 11h00.
During her visit the Minister and her delegation will meet Mayor of Phokwane Local Municipality Mr Vuyisile Khen. The Imbizo is expected to be attended by stakeholders including business, labour and community. Oliphant will be accompanied to Northern Cape by the Department of Labour's Director-General Nkosinathi Nhleko, the department's Deputy Director-General's plus managers and the provincial management team.
Since the beginning of the year the Minister has led inspection blitz and hosted Izimbizo’s in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. The minister's national enforcement programme will continue until next year. The main focus will be on sectors such agriculture/forestry, construction, hospitality, private security, domestic, iron and steel and chemical.
In her first budget vote speech since her appointment as Minister to the National Assembly Oliphant said at the turn of the fourth quarter last year, labour inspectors had visited more than 192 000 workplaces across the country. Of the workplaces visited, 77 per cent were found to be compliant with our labour laws.
"We are intensifying our efforts on inspection and enforcement as part of our commitment to ensure the creation of decent working conditions for workers, at the same time ensuring a competitive environment under which business can operate," she said.
The Minister pointed out that the focus of her work will ensure the elimination of inequality and discrimination in the labour market through effective compliance monitoring and enforcement of the Employment Equity Act, improve access to social security services provided in terms of the Compensation Fund and Unemployment Insurance Fund, and ensuring that the mandate of the department is rooted in the provinces through labour centres and provincial offices by putting an emphasis on ensuring capacity building.
Enquiries:
Page Boikanyo
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 809 3195
Mothusi Legwale
Northern Cape Provincial Communication Officer
Cell: 082 823 1380
Source: Department of Labour
Oliphant heads to Northern Cape to enforce compliance
