Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said the struggle to maintain healthy and safe workplaces continues not in the streets alone, but in the factories, farms, offices, and construction sites where workers must assert their right to dignity, safety, and fair treatment.

Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said a workplace that is unsafe, physically or psychologically, is a betrayal of the very freedoms “that we celebrate. A workplace that exploits labour, undermines wages, or disregards the well-being of workers stands in contradiction to the ideals of our liberation struggle".

The Deputy Minister was speaking today (24 April) during the commemoration of 2026 World Day for Health and Safety at work held at Emnotweni Arena in Mbombela (Nelspruit). The day is observed to promote safe, healthy, and decent work. It was held under the theme: “Let's Ensure a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment."

As the Deputy Minister was addressing delegates the Geneva-based International Labour Organization released the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026 which shows that there were 840,000 deaths a year linked to psychosocial risks at work. The global report shows how poorly designed or managed work, including high demands, long hours, and job insecurity in poorly managed workplaces are damaging workers' health and the economy.

She said the event comes on the eve of two of the most significant milestones in South Africa's democratic calendar - that is on the 27^th of April the to commemorate Freedom Day, a day that marks the historic victory of over apartheid and Workers' Day -  a day rooted in the long and militant struggles of the working class, both globally and locally, for fair labour practices, humane working conditions, and the right to organise.

“This World OHS Day commemoration brings us together as government, organised business, and organised labour in a unified platform of social dialogue to confront the growing challenge of psychosocial risks in the workplace. The presence today of COSATU, NACTU, SAFTU, FEDUSA BUSA, RMA and FEM remind us that the Labour Relations Act does not seek to create antagonistic relations between employers and the employees but an environment that promotes the mutual advancement of the worker rights and their wellbeing," explained Nemadzinga-Tshabalala.

“It is precisely for this reason that the role of social partners gathered here today becomes critical. The responsibility to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality cannot rest on the state alone. 

“Employers must commit to fair wages, decent working conditions, and inclusive employment practices. Trade unions must continue to advance the interests of workers while promoting workplace stability and social dialogue. Institutions must strengthen enforcement, compliance, and support systems that protect vulnerable workers," she said.

Addressing the triple challenges requires a renewed and strengthened social compact, she said.

Turning to health and safety, Deputy Minister Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said a workplace cannot be truly safe if it is psychologically unsafe. She argued that psychosocial environment is shaped by how work is organised, managed, and experienced, including factors such as workload, job security, fair remuneration, and workplace power relations.

“A healthy psychosocial working environment is therefore not only a moral obligation, but a key condition for sustainable productivity. Workers who face stress and exploitation are less able to perform effectively, leading to reduced productivity, weakened organisational performance, and broader socio-economic instability.

“Similarly, the employment of undocumented foreign nationals under exploitative conditions reflects a systemic attempt to bypass labour protections, depress wages, and fragment the working class. These practices do not only undermine fair labour standards; they create environments of fear, instability, and competition among workers, eroding solidarity and weakening collective resistance. Ultimately, they contribute to reduced productivity and the deterioration of workplace cohesion," she emphasised.

She said as the Department embarks on a recruitment drive of new inspectors, these needed to be equipped not only with technical knowledge of legislation, but also with the necessary soft skills (communication, empathy, conflict resolution, and psychological awareness) to engage complex workplace dynamics.

Nemadzinga-Tshabalala called for an integrated approach to strengthen the capacity of the state to monitor, assess, and intervene in workplaces where psychosocial risks are prevalent. She warned that employers must understand that the creation of a conducive working environment is not an act of benevolence; it is a legal and social obligation.

“Failure to address psychosocial risks will inevitably result in mental health challenges among workers, reduced productivity, and long-term socio-economic costs," she said.

Simphiwe Mabhele, a technical specialist on health, HIV and TB at ILO in South Africa said there was a need to build stronger research and knowledge base to understand the psychosocial working environment. Mabhele said workplaces were witnessing the emergence diseases and suicidal act. He noted that although South Africa has made strides in inclusion and focus on psychosocial factors must still need to be done.

“Employers are not spared from emerging hazards – they had to contend with fatigue, absenteeism, and decreased productivity levels," he emphasized.

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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