The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) warmly welcomes the recent raid by the Department of Employment and Labour on unscrupulous employers. The raid, undertaken between September 18th and 20th, enforced compliance in defence of the workers’ hard-won rights.
We call on all these unions to reinforce these raids and ensure that all South African laws are fully enforced everywhere.
The Department of Employment and Labour’s raid revealed gross violations of labour laws, such as underpayment of staff salaries, non-compliance with health and safety measures and outright theft of workers’ hard-earned money through unlawful deductions.These raids targeted specific sectors in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal. Of the 2,681 sites visited, 49% were non-compliant.Employers were found to be non-compliant with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, Employment Services Act, Occupational Health and Safety and Emigration laws.
SAFTU reiterate that while it is firmly opposed to xenophobia and shifting blame of the capitalist exploitation on migrant workers, it remains opposed to employers employing undocumented. Our stance has always been clear: without enforcement, labour laws are merely abstract concepts that are out of reach for the working class. The recent raid by the Department of Employment and Labour, while not a complete solution, is a promising start. It signifies the beginning of a process to transform formal labour rights into tangible benefits for workers.
We commend the Department of Employment and Labour for its recent campaign to enforce compliance and strongly advocate for a more aggressive and comprehensive approach. It is crucial to prevent the erosion of the working class’s hard-won gains by employers’ relentless pursuit of profits.
