Department of Employment and Labour Chief Inspector: Occupational Health and Safety, Milly Ruiters said the department uses a stick as a last resort in its approach of enforcing compliance with legislation.

Ruiters says the Department prefers to conduct advocacy and, thereafter apply a stick to ensure compliance with labour laws. 

She was speaking during the signing of a Decent Work Movement's Pledge, part of a two-stop leg in the Western Cape which started today in Cape Town. The event was held at Aspired Country Manor in Philippi.

The DEL together with its social partners, the United Nations agency - International Labour Organization (ILO); the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM); and the Department's entity Compensation Fund (CF) today signed a Pledge and launched the Decent Work campaign to support labour rights and ethical business practices in the construction sector.

The partnership launches a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting decent work for all in South Africa's construction industry. It is held under the tagline" “Decent work is a movement, a movement for promoting labour rights and improving business productivity".

The partnership focuses on advancing labour rights, eliminating exploitative practices, and enhancing productivity in a sector vital to the country's economic growth. The initiative comes on the footsteps of the recently-signed Construction Health and Safety Accord designed to promote the Decent Work agenda in the sector.

By signing the Pledge partners commit to:

1.    Advocating for workers' rights to safe, secure and compliance working conditions.

2.    Facilitating effective workplace inspections to ensure decent work and compliant work environments acknowledging that “Inspection Protects Workers', and that compliance is key to maintaining safety, dignity and productivity in the workplaces.

3.    Promoting labour law compliance to protect workers from exploitative practices and to enhance labour productivity.

4.    Contributing to building capacity through continuous learning, collaboration and knowledge sharing to create decent and productive workplaces.

Ruiters said the movement wants to promote fair competition, fair wages and social security.

ILO director, Jens Drying Christensen said construction sector was a vital part of South Africa economy, because it employs more than 1,3 million workers. He said construction was a catalyst for broader development. Christensen said globally one in five of workers die in the construction sector. He said 395 million of workers globally sustained injuries per year in the sector.

Christensen said an area of concern in the sector was the lack of training of workers, “who are just pulled from the streets". He called for accountability in the construction sector, saying “for every worker that dies – the costs are devastating".

He said through the Decent Work movement partners seek to create ecosystems to promote safety, while at the same time promote investment in education and training. He said through the campaign ILO wants to reduce injuries y 50 percent. He called for the works to have a voice, and appealed to the industry to take accountability for its actions.

The ILO promotes decent work through productive, fair, secure and equal employment for all.

Department of Employment and Labour Inspector General, Aggy Moiloa said the department would reinforce the advocacy message until compliance becomes a culture. Moiloa said the workers should be last line of defence. She said the upcoming amendments to Occupational Health and Safety would empower workers to refuse to work in hazardous environments. 

Media is invited to the next stop of Decent Work campaign:

Date: Friday, 1 November 2024

Time: 10:30 for 11:00 – 16:00

Venue: Protea Hotel King George

For more information:    

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za  

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour​

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