The Department of Employment and Labour's Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch inspectors have forced the closure of the Ultra Liquors Express Rock Cottage store during various Departmental joint inspections in Roodepoort yesterday (13 December 2023).

The Ultra Liquors Express store and its management have been found to have been in contravention of various labour legislation such as the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Unemployment Insurance Fund Act (UIF), Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA); and was considered to be hazardous for its employees at work and persons in connection with the activities of the workplace in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety. 

The store manager has been arrested yesterday by the South African Police Services for illegally employing an undocumented foreign national at the store.

The Department of Employment and Labour's joint inspection, which was triggered by a tip-off, was carried out in collaboration with the South African Police Services, the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Revenue Services, Gauteng Traffic and Crime Prevention Unit, Transnet, Eskom, and the Brave to Love (human trafficking NGO).

The store, which is registered under the African Concept Trade, has also been found to be selling several expired beverages including alcohol.

The Department has learned that the store has twelve employees and has been deducting their employee salaries for the UIF without making UIF contributions, and they have not been issuing pay slips to their employees.

One of the employees at the store has been injured on duty and the other has suffered from a medical condition through the work environment, however, their injury and medical condition were never reported to the Department in terms of the applicable legislation and as a result the employees did not receive the benefit of the law. They were not even taken to the hospital by the company for medical care as per the COIDA benefits.

The Department inspectors have issued the store management with a prohibition notice which halted the operations and numerous compliance orders.

The Department would like to issue a strong warning to employers, stating that they should always consult and seek advice from the department in order to comply with labour laws. When it comes to issues pertaining to the Department's primary duties, the Department will not spare any detail.

The Department would like to express gratitude to the community for their interest and bravery in reporting questionable actions by employers. It is encouraged for community members to keep spotting and reporting labour law violations.

The Gauteng Chief Inspector Advocate Michael Msiza stated, "Among other inspection models, our joint operations like this one will be deepened and increased to ensure an integrated approach to enforcement by the law enforcement agencies."

For more information, please contact:

Petunia Lessing

Director: Media Liaison

Cell: +27 66 301 4645/ Petunia.Lessing@labour.gov.za

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Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour​

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