Twenty domestic employers in KwaZulu-Natal were ordered to produce workers’ records at labour offices by next week ”or face the law”, the Labour Department said on Friday.
Spokesperson Zolisa Sigabi said the employers had failed to register their workers with the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
”They were among the 1 912 households raided by labour inspectors this week throughout the province,” said Sigabi.
A further 351 failed to pay minimum wages or adhere to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. ”They were failing to issue pay slips to workers and were warned to start doing it. The inspector will revisit them later to check if they have changed.”
Inspectors found that 80% of employers in the province complied with the laws.
Some of the 20% who failed to comply grossly underpaid their workers, with some getting R440 monthly, said Sigabi.
The prescribed minimum payment for domestic workers employed in urban areas and working for more that 27 hours a week is R1 066 a month, and R865,54 in rural areas.
”Written undertakings and notices were served to defaulters, with inspectors also providing advice to employers on compliance prescriptions,” said Sigabi. — Sapa