/ 3 March 2004

Four retailers at Jo’burg airport flout labour laws

Four retailers at the Johannesburg International Airport were served with notices on Tuesday for contravening labour laws, the Labour Department said.

Spokesperson Snuki Zikalala said the labour inspectors had slapped Medicine Chain, Natting, Fournos and Kuai with a total of 10 subpoenas after a raid at the airport on Monday.

He also said a total of 31 contraventions that included failing to adhere to set minimum wages, overtime payments, allowances and violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act were discovered at 16 businesses that were raided.

”The inspections form part of the Department’s week-long advocacy campaign to enforce sectoral determination that sets conditions of employment and minimum wages for the Wholesale and Retail Sector,” said Zikalala.

He said Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana was disappointed about compliance levels in the wholesale sector.

”I must warn those employers who are bent on contravening our country’s labour legislation that our inspectors would be doing follow up inspections very soon,” said Mdladlana, adding: ”My advice to these employers is that they must immediately fix whatever it was that inspectors found to be wanting so as to achieve compliance before getting caught a second time around.” – Sapa