Sunday Independent reports that National Treasury's decision to withdraw R64 million allocated for additional inspectors as requested by the Department of Labour has angered unions. Cosatu and the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) told Independent Media last week the decision would not bode well for improving labour relations and could be detrimental for workers. The Treasury had allocated the funds to the department to employ an additional 124 inspectors for the 206/17 financial year.
The about-turn was revealed in the department's annual 2016 report presented recently to Parliament. The department said the Treasury's decision may mean it won't reach its target of increasing its inspector capacity by 30 percent for the 2014/15 to 2019/20 financial years, as stated in the department's medium term strategic framework. The cost-cutting is part of the Treasury's efforts to tighten the government's purse strings and also prevent unnecessary expenditure.
Fawu deputy president Raymond Mnguni said he was concerned about those workers who desperately needed inspectors to ensure they are not abused, especially farm workers. "Workers are injured every day on farms and they have given up on the government doing something to assist them. That's an area that's going explode one day," he warned.
Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla stressed that many of the inspectors were poorly trained. "The department just offers lip service with every year, releasing sectoral determination pay increases, but they don't make sure that there is compliance," he said.
Cosatu has presented numerous submissions to Parliament and the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on the need for additional inspectors. "There are thousands of labour brokers that are violating workers' rights," said Pamla.
Cosatu researcher Neil Coleman said he was concerned the government's cost-cutting measures would affect crucial services. "Without those extra inspectors, all the efforts of implementing legislation and the national minimum wage can never be addressed," said Coleman. Enforcement is compromised by lack of proper inspection."
The national minimum wage is expected to be implemented by the end of the year, and both Fawu and Cosatu expressed concern about the department's ability to oversee compliance.
However, the department's Sithembele Tshwete said there were plans to allocate inspectors specifically to oversee the minimum wage implementation in the 2017/18 financial year and that the department would continue to request funds for more inspectors.
Report by Zintle Mahlati on page 8 of Sunday Independent of 23 October 2016
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