The Congress of South African Congress of Trade Unions in KwaZulu-Natal welcomes the oversight visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour to Majuba District, Newscastle and surrounding areas. This visit is crucial in ensuring compliance with key labour legislation, including the Basic of Employment Act (BCEA), Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations, immigration laws and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
As COSATU, we have deployed members of our Provincial leadership and local structures to work closely with the Committee during this process. This oversight follows a s similar intervention conducted in 2022 by the Parliamentary Labour Committee, where COSATU also deployed its Provincial Office Bearers and local leadership to support the process.
We therefore view this as part of important and ongoing programme of strengthening accountability and protecting worker’s rights. As the federation representing workers, COSATU takes this matter seriously.
It responds directly to what we have consistently raised that public representatives must not sit on their laurels while workers suffer silently in workplaces where exploitation and lawlessness continue unchecked.
Workers have fought hard for labour law reforms and democratic principles. These laws must now be enforced without fear or favour and employers must be compelled to comply.
However, COSATU remains concerned that some employers may attempt to mislead the Committee during this period by temporarily complying or even sending workers away in order to hide exploitation and non-compliance. Such conduct must be exposed and decisively dealt with. COSATU calls on all workers to make the best use of this opportunity by coming forward and reporting all violations, including the following;
- Underpayment and wage theft,
- victimisation and intimidation,
- illegal employment practices, including abuse of foreign nationals,
- lack of skills development and training.
We further remind all employers that the National Minimum Wage for 2026 will increase to R30.23 per hour in March this year and we demand full compliance.
No worker must earn below the legislated minimum wage.
This is the promise we have undertaken during the introduction of the NMW legislation that COSATU will continue to fight for improvement of the minimum wage.
Some of the revelations emerging from the workplaces visited are deeply shocking and confirm the urgency of intensified inspections and stronger enforcement. COSATU will continue to monitor this process closely and will ensure that all violations identified are followed up and addressed.
In welcoming this oversight visit, we call on the Department of Employment and Labour and the Portfolio Committee to strengthen their collaboration with stakeholders and expand this programme to all districts across KwaZulu-Natal, as exploitation is not confined to Majuba alone.
We also call on all trade union leaders to spend more time engaging directly with workers on the ground, in order to understand their lived realities and respond effectively to the challenges they face.
Furthermore, COSATU urges unions to follow up on all matters during this oversight process and ensure that employers are held accountable.
Finally, COSATU calls on all employers not to view this process as a nuisance, but as an opportunity to improve working conditions. Decent work improves productivity, strengthens the economy and prevents the costly consequences of non-compliance, including workplace injuries, legal penalties and reputational damage.
We will work closely with the DEL to ensure that non-compliances that have been discovered are addressed urgently to avoid negative effect to workers, economy and their jobs.
Workers’ rights are human rights and compliance with labour laws is not negotiable.
An injury to one is an injury to all.
Issued by COSATU KZN
Edwin Mkhize (Provincial Secretary)
082 399 7756 / 076 522 8839
Kind Regards
Zanele Sabela
Cosatu Spokesperson
Mobile: 079 287 5788
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za