On 23 August 2025, the Department of Employment and Labour carried out another successful High Impact Blitz inspection in Thaba Nchu, Free State. Notably, this operation was conducted at night, marking a distinctive approach in enforcement activities.

The inspection was led by Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya, with support from the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and Mangaung law enforcement agencies, including the Metro Police Department.

“We cannot allow lawlessness in our country and do nothing about it as government," said Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya.

The Department's Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch focused on assessing compliance with key labour legislation, including:

·         Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)

·         National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA)

·         Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)

·         Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA)

·         Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA)

·         Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA)

The operation received additional support through the presence of the Department's Inspector General, Ms. Aggy Moiloa, who was in attendance during the inspection. The focus of the inspection was the iron and steel industry, specifically targeting Thunder Steel, a steel manufacturing company owned by Chinese foreign nationals. Inspectors uncovered several serious violations, including underpayment of wages, unsafe working conditions, and the failure to register employees with both the Compensation Fund (CF) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).

Seven (7) Chinese foreign nationals were arrested and taken into custody by immigration officials from the Department of Home Affairs, working in collaboration with SAPS. Inspectors from the Department served the employer with 17 prohibition notices for noncompliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The violations included unsafe and unhygienic working conditions, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), poor ventilation, exposed wiring, and failure to produce various certifications. This led to the company being closed until all the contraventions are dealt with. The owner was ordered to pay the employees their monthly salaries until they return to work.

Employees reported that they were subjected to excessively long shifts with little to no remuneration. One worker explained: “We start work at 5 pm and our shift ends the following day at 10 am, and most of us have burns on various parts of our bodies." It was further established that employees were not provided with copies of their employment contracts, did not receive payslips, and were denied statutory benefits. In cases of workplace injuries, the employer would provide loans to the employees to consult a doctor, and these had to be repaid with interest.

In addition, inspectors discovered a tuck shop operating within the factory premises where workers were allowed to purchase food on credit. The monies owed were then deducted from the workers' wages at the end of the month. And more often than not, they would not receive even a cent of their salaries due to being perpetually indebted.

The collaborative efforts of the Department of Employment and Labour, SAPS, DHA, and the Mangaung Metro Police highlighted the government's determination to address exploitation and unsafe working environments in South Africa.

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

​ 

​​​