Department of Employment and Labour Provincial Chief Inspector (PCI), David Esau in the Western Cape has appealed to contractors to conduct due diligence when working on sites to prevent hazards and fatalities on sites.

Esau was speaking during a blitz inspection of Haute Cabrière restaurant in Franschhoek, in a town tucked into the heart of the Cape Winelands and surrounded by mountains.

He cautioned contractors against taking short cuts in order to maximize profits.

Fezeka Ngalo, Department's Specialist: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in the Western Cape addressed workers on site that the Department was closing the construction site because of failures by contractors/sub-contractors to adhere to OHS legislation and Regulations and failure to present the required documents.

A main contractor on site had appointed a sub-contractor and they failed to produce a health and safety file; workers working without wearing their protective personal equipment; failure by sub-contractor to produce an appointment letter, and failure to notify the department about the construction site.

Ngalo said the contractor and sub-contractor will have to address all areas of concern before the prohibition notice is lifted.

The latest prohibition happened during a Department of Employment and Labour's Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch's blitz inspections in the Western Cape focusing on the hospitality sector.

The inspections today were conducted to test compliance to a suite of legislation administered by the Department such as: Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Unemployment Insurance (UI) Act and Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).

The inspections started on Monday and are part of departmental programme of service delivery. The programme will culminate with Employment and Labour Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth delivering her Budget Vote speech for 2025/26 tomorrow (3 July 2025) at 14:00 - M46 Marks building in Parliament.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

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

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour

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