The Department of Employmen t and Labour has reaffirmed its commitme nt to pro tecting workers' rights, promoting fair labour practices and ens uring safe a nd decent working conditions. This w as emphasised by Inspector-General (IG) Ms Aggy Moiloa during the Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement S ession held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday 22 October 2026, which brought t ogether stakeholders from the funeral unde rtakers, non-profit organisations (NPOs) and the disability sectors.
Ms Moiloa said that the Department has a clear responsibility to regu late the labour market to ens ure that employers comply w ith applicabl e labour laws. She emphasised that this responsibility ca nnot be delegated to another gov ernment department, as the protection of worker s' rights remains central to the Department' of Employment and Labour' mandate.
“ The Department of Employment and Labour has a responsibility to regulate the labour m ark et. It is a responsibility that cannot be delegated to any other department," said IG Moiloa.
She further emphasised the importa nce of Section 23 of the Constitution, which guarantees everyone the right to fair labour practices . These rights include workers' freedom to join trad e unions of their choice, participating in union activities, including the right to strike, as well as employers' rights to form employers' organisations and engage in collective bargaining.
Inspector-Ge neral Moiloa sai d that th ese constitutional rights must be reflected in the d a ily experiences of workers and not remain words on paper. She sa id workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, fair payment and protection from discrimination and un sa fe w orking conditions.
“Our democracy cannot be measured only by the rights written in our Constitution. These rights must be reflected in what ha ppens when a worker reports for duty, wh ether that worker is paid fairly, treated with respect and protected from danger and discrimination," she said.
Inspector-General also highlighted the importance of creating decent work opportunities, noting that job creat i on must go hand in hand with compliance with la b our legislation. She c autioned that economic pressu res cannot be used to justify underpayment, un lawful deductions, unsafe working conditions or discriminatory practices in the workplace.
She urged employers to regularly review their emplo yment practices to ensure compliance with labour laws, provide workers with a clear understanding of their con ditions of employment, including working ho urs, an d ident ify and address workp lace hazards.
Employers were also encourag ed to pro mote equality and inclusion in recruitment, workplace arrangements and career advan cement.
IG Moiloa called on employers and other stakeholders to seek guidance from the Departm en t whe re necessary, emphas ising that the Department remai ns available to assist with understanding and com plying with labour legislation. She also encouraged health and safety representatives to understand their r esponsibiliti es, rais e concerns and cont ribute actively towards cre ating safer working environments.
IG Moiloa further called for stronger collaboration between the Department, employers, workers and stakeholders to improve comp lian ce and promote a culture of respect for la bour rights. She e mphasised that the success of the engagement should be measured by the practical changes that take place in workplaces after the discussio ns.
“The test of our commitment is not what we say at the podium. It is what changes in the workplace after we have done all the talk ing ," she said.
In addition , Chief Inspec tor, Ms Milly Ruiters also emphasised the importance of complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act 85 of 1993), hig hlighting the responsibilities of employers and employees in preventing wo rk place injuries and o ccupat i onal diseases. She further emphasised the need f or employers to identify and manage workplace risks, provide appropriate protective equipment and ensure that employees are informed and trained on safety proce dures.
Employees, in turn, have a responsibility to follow safety instructions, use pr otec tive equipment correctl y and report hazards that may put workers and affected people at risk. Ruiters stressed that work place sa fety requires cooperation between employers, employees an d government to ensure that workers return hom e safely at the end of each working day.
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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