WATCH | Labour officials arrest ‘undocumented foreigners’ working at two sites in Clayville

Several alleged undocumented foreigners were arrested during aninspection by the department of employment and labourat two construction sites in Clayville, Ekurhuleni, on Friday. Thobeka Magcai, spokesperson for the ministry of employment and labour, said they were still checking compliance of the laws by employers responsible for the sites. “We went to two construction sites.

We are still consolidating the information. There were quite a lot of arrests, and inspectors are still busy checking compliance with all the laws. We also need to get a report from the police, home affairs, and our inspectors.” WATCH | Several undocumented immigrants were arrested by government officials at a construction site in Clayville, Ekurhuleni.pic.twitter.com/4964OMyGyL There have been other recent instances of noncompliance with safety and labour laws by employers in Gauteng.

Earlier this month, the department told Sowetan that its officials picked up 2,618 contraventions in the 5,226 blitz raids it carried out between April 1 and December 31 last year. Department spokesperson Teboho Thejane said a number of contraventions of legislation were identified. “The highest rate of noncompliance was recorded under the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA), where 83% of employers were found to be noncompliant.

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Out of 18 employers inspected, 15 did not meet the required standards. “Noncompliance under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act stood at 79%, with 787 of the 999 employers inspected found to be noncompliant,” she said. Under the UIA category covering a broader inspection scope, 60% of employers were noncompliant, with 814 out of 1,359 employers failing to comply.

A rate of 36% for non-compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act was recorded, with 658 of 1,804 inspected employers not meeting compliance requirements. Meanwhile, the non-compliance rate in the case of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act was 33%, with 348 out of 1,051 employers found to be in violation.

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