Department of Labour inspectors on Thursday recommended the prosecution of managers of listed retail group Mr Price’s store at the Boulders in Midrand after they denied inspectors access to documentation and prevented them from interviewing staff.
The department said the managers were in violation of Section 92 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), which makes it an offence to “hinder or obstruct a labour inspector or any other person performing a function in terms of the Act”.
The store was visited as part of a nationwide blitz inspection on the wholesale and retail sector to check on adherence to the sectoral determination that sets minimum wages and conditions of employment.
The week-long blitz will also focus on, and advocate compliance to, other aspects of labour legislation including the BCEA, Employment Equity Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Death Act.
Reports received from eight provinces indicate that a total of 865 businesses have been issued with more than 361 contravention notices for various irregularities including the failure to meet minimum wage requirements, the non-issuing of pay slips, excessive working hours, non-payment of overtime, failure to register workers with the Unemployment Insurance Fund and contraventions of occupational health and safety regulations.
The highest number of contraventions was found in the Western Cape, where 204 inspections saw 129 contravention notices issued. Ninety-eight notices were issued in Gauteng during the course of 145 inspections.
KwaZulu Natal recorded 67 contraventions and issued a subpoena to Dial-a-Diaper shop for failure to keep records on the workmen’s compensation and unemployed insurance.
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana has recommended that strong action be taken against employers who are not complying with labour legislation.
Meanwhile, Mdladlana has ordered an immediate investigation into an accident in which a construction worker fell into a shaft and broke his leg at the Kingsley shopping centre in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the injured man was busy with renovation work in the basement of the mall when he fell down a hole measuring between 3m and 4m, breaking his left leg.
The injured man was immediately taken to hospital.
“Our laws on occupational health and safety are designed to protect workers from all forms of workplace hazards and as such employers should at all times ensure that they take reasonable steps to ensure safety of their workers,” Mdladlana said. — I-Net Bridge