The Department of Employment and Labour's Inspections and Enforcement Services (IES) branch in pursuing a pragmatic relationship with Chinese businesses will on Tuesday organise the third advocacy session to ensure compliance.

The contact by the department with Chinese business is part of a series of advocacy sessions with various sectors in the economy. The engagement will be held in Cape Town.

The objectives of the Advocacy Session are to raise awareness about compliance with employment and labour legislation as well as immigration legislation.

The department and Chinese engagements are designed to deal with issues experienced by workers and employers within Chinese Businesses, and these relate to:

• Low wages and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage;
• Absence of written contracts and unfair dismissal;
• Long working hours without overtime pay;
• Lack of paid sick leave and annual leave;
• Poor working and sanitation facilities;
• Lack of protective equipment and health and safety measures;
• Workplace injuries with no access to compensation;
• Unemployment Insurance benefits;
• Exploitation of foreign nationals and undocumented workers;
• Sexual harassment and gender-based violence; and
• Victimization of workers who report violations.
  
   
  
  The expected outcomes of the Chinese Business Advocacy Session are:

• Increased awareness and understanding of employment and labour legislation;
• Formalisation of unregistered workers into Unemployment Insurance Fund and Compensation Fund systems;
• Stronger multi-departmental coordination for compliance with South African Laws;
• Immediate response to worker grievances and labour complaints;
• Strengthened trust in government institutions;
• Improved compliance rates among Chinese Business Employers; and
• Nonemployment of undocumented labour migrants.

Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, the Honourable Jomo Sibiya, MP as well as the Ambassador of the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in South Africa, His Excellency Wu Peng having been leading the partnership.

The department has previously had advocacy in Newcastle and Johannesburg with Chinese businesses.

NB: Media is invited to attend the advocacy session.

The session will be held as follows:

Date: 04 August 2026

Venue: Lagoon Beach Hotel in Milnerton, Cape Town.

Time: 09:00am to 13:00 

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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