Department of Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya told the gathering that every worker has a right to return home safe and healthy.

Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya was delivering a keynote address at the Occupational Health and Safety Conference: 2026, hosted by the Department of Employment and Labour in collaboration with the Rand Mutual Assurance. The conference started today at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg, Gauteng Province.

“At the centre of that shared responsibility is a simple but powerful principle: Every worker has the right to return home safe and healthy at the end of every working day. Not injured. Not ill," Sibiya said.

Deputy Minister Sibiya said safe and healthy working conditions are not optional; “they are a fundamental human right." He said in South Africa, the principle is not only an international commitment, but also a constitutional imperative. “Our Constitution guarantees the right to an environment that is not harmful to health and well-being. This right extends directly into our workplaces," he continued.

Sibiya said this means that protecting workers from occupational injuries and diseases is not simply a regulatory requirement, but a constitutional responsibility as well. He warned that workers are not tools of production; “they are made of flesh and blood". He stated that it is imperative to protect their lives and dignity.

According to Deputy Minister Sibiya, the theme of the conference, “Beyond compliance: prevention in practice", captures an important reality. He said for many years, occupational health and safety have often been approached as a compliance matter, whereas compliance alone does not prevent injuries and illnesses.  “What truly protects workers is prevention. The adage: prevention is better than cure, is very appropriate," he said.

He said the Department of Employment and Labour does not accept the proposition that injury and disease are part of the job. He stated that workers should never have to sacrifice their health or their lives to earn a living. “Occupational injuries and diseases are not inevitable. They are preventable. No job should cost a worker their life," Sibiya said.

Sibiya stated that organised labour and workers are equally important partners in building healthy and safe workplaces. “Workers are often the first to see emerging risks. They understand the realities of the workplace and could provide valuable insight into how hazards can be managed or eliminated."  He said workers can participate through health and safety committees; consultation and reporting systems are therefore essential. 

“When employers and workers collaborate, occupational health and safety moves beyond policy. It becomes a workplace culture," he said.

According to Simphiwe Mabhele, Technical Officer from the International Labour Organisation, this year's theme resonates strongly with the ILO's global mission, especially following the elevation of Occupational Safety and Health to a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work. He said the recognition affirms what OHS professionals have known all along, and that safety is not optional, not technical, and not negotiable; it is a right that protects human dignity.

“And yet, anyone who has worked in the field of OHS also knows that the pursuit of safety can feel like participating in a comedy show. Inspectors everywhere share the same universal experiences: the worker who insists “we have always done it this way"; the supervisor who says “it's just a quick job"; and the brave soul who thinks the laws of physics can be suspended for convenience. As one inspector once put it, “The most dangerous phrase I hear on site is: 'Watch this.'"

Mabhele hinted at the advent of technology in the Occupational Health and Safety sphere. “We also stand at the frontier of an OHS revolution driven by technology. Artificial Intelligence, drones, wearables, digital platforms, and predictive analytics are now part of the prevention toolkit. AI can detect near-misses in real time, recognise hazard patterns across sites, and predict where risks will occur before a single worker is harmed. But technology, as inspectors often remind us, has its limits.

One inspector joked, “AI can detect hazards… but it still can't stop a worker from doing something creative." Another shared, “You can program a robot easily; try programming a human to wear PPE consistently." These truths highlight a simple point: technology enhances prevention, but it does not replace human judgment, human values, and human responsibility," he said.

The Occupational Health and Safety Conference: 2026 will conclude this Thursday, 19 March.

For media enquiries, 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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