Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth has announced the recruitment of 10,000 inspector interns who will be recruited from end of January.
Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth
The Minister was addressing the Nedlac Annual Labour School taking place at Kievits Kroon, Pretoria.
Noting the inadequate inspectorate capacity of the department, Minister Meth made an announcement of the intention to recruit 20,000 interns to bolster the inspectorate wing of the department so that all corners of the country are covered and ensure that employers are complying with labour legislation.
“I am pleased to announce that the inspector advertisement for the first cohort of 10,000 interns will be published in the Public Service vacancy Circular on 31 January 2025. The remaining 10,000 will then be recruited next year.
“The 20,000 additional labour inspectors will assist us to effectively reinforce the department’s institutional capacity to meet its mandate,” the Minister said.
Minister Meth said the department aims to improve labour law compliance, especially in under-monitored sectors such as domestic work, agriculture, public sector and the informal economy and it looks forward to increased collaboration with unions and employer organisations in so doing.
“Our increased actions should serve as a deterrent toward wrongdoing hence the work of inspection and enforcement services of the department is critical in safeguarding workers’ rights, ensuring compliance with labour laws and upholding fair practices.
“This priority speaks directly to the need for enhanced capacity in our labour inspectorate, ensuring that the protections afforded by our laws are implemented on the ground,” she said.
Once more, the Minister highlighted that President Cyril Ramaphosa underscored the necessity of improving compliance rates in the labour market, which are essential to protecting workers and upholding their rights.
While leading the Portfolio of Employment and Labour in the recent months, Meth said she has noted some areas of concern which she is prioritising.
She cited the enforcement drive that the department has engaged in, in the past few months, with an increased drive of ensuring compliance with labour legislation.
“The inspection work has continued to occupy the media space. Yes, we have been topical, and for all the right reasons, making some shockwaves in the hospitality, retail, agricultural sectors – just to mention a few after a relentless spate of coordinated national raids that saw us conducting numerous national high impact coordinated blitz inspections.
“These inspections to ensure that employees are correctly paid; their conditions of employment are as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, and where we have found non-compliance, we have enforced the law with all might,” she said.
