Employment and Labour Inspectors to conduct mega blitz inspections targeting Western Cape hospitality sector

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The Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) in the Western Cape is set to embark on a week-long mega blitz inspections targeting the Hospitality Sector.

The mega blitz inspections will commence from the 24th to 28th January 2022 in the Metropole, Cape Winelands and Overberg regions.

The inspectorate will be testing compliance on the National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA); Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA); Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA) and Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).

Not only will inspectors be testing compliance and addressing non-compliance but, the mega blitz will also serve to advise, educate and provide technical information and support to both workers and employers about the services offered by the inspectorate, the departments said on Thursday.

The mega blitz inspections will be led by the Inspector General Aggy Moiloa, Chief Inspector Tibor Szana and the Western Cape Provincial Chief inspector David Esau. The Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Services (SAPS) will also form part of the blitz inspections to ensure that, all institutions like hotels, bed & breakfast facilities, restaurants and backpackers are fully inspected.

Provincial Chief Inspector David Esau said, considering the impact that Covid-19 has had on the sector in the last two years, it’s important to reinforce compliance to labour laws and ensure that employers still uphold the basic conditions in the workplace while also maintaining the health and safety of workers at all times.

He said employers can in the meantime ensure that their house is order before inspectors make way to their premises.

“We are changing how we do things by informing employers prior on the necessary documents that we need when we arrive. With this approach, employers have no reason to tell us they did not prepare the necessary papers for us. We are leaving no gaps for excuses. Books that are in order should be able to save both the employer and the inspector time to do the necessary inspection,” said Esau.

According to the statement, the following documents would need to be produced:

Attendance Register. (Last 2 months);
Signed employment contracts / letter of appointments of an employee.
Information about remuneration (pay slips/envelopes), overtime, leave pay (Last 2 months);
Unemployment Insurance, registration number, as well as proof of last payments;
Compensation of Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) registration number as well as proof of last payments;
A copy of the CIPRO Certificate and;
A list containing the names and ID numbers of all employees are some of the records inspectors will be expecting employers to produce.

“Many businesses are up and running now following the impact that COVID-19 had particularly on the hospitality industry. While we support the economic recovery, we also don’t want workers to be exploited. It’s imperative that we get on the ground to evaluate if conditions of work are still adhered to,” added Esau.

Meanwhile on Wednesday EFF leader Julius Malema and his party sparked an outcry after they visited restaurants at the Mall of Africa in Joburg “to check the employment ratio between South African citizens and foreign nationals”.

The Department of Employment and Labour strongly condemned the “unsanctioned inspection” conducted by Malema and his party.

“[The] inspection of companies for whatever purpose is the work of officials of government. It’s like going to a police station and taking over their duties. There are people who are dedicated to doing this job, and that is not the [EFF’s job],” department spokesperson Sabelo Mali told News24.