Question NW4117 to the Minister of Employment and Labour
11 December 2023 - NW4117
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
Whether his department has adopted any step-by-step measures to ensure that (a) formal and (b) informal businesses enforce and implement the National Minimum Wage as adopted; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Inspections & Enforcement Services Branch of the Department of Employment & Labour conduct proactive and reactive inspections pertaining to compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018 across all 9 Provinces. All formal businesses and workplaces across all economic sectors are inspected in this regard by Labour Inspectors. For the Financial Year 2023/24, we have set a country wide national target of conducting 168 864 NMW related inspections. As per the end of the second semester; we had managed to conduct 81 722 NMW inspections countrywide. Advocacy Sessions in the form of Seminars, Workshops, Information Sessions and shop floor awareness sessions are held to raise the awareness of the National Minimum Wage.
With regards to labour inspection in the informal economy, the Department of Employment & Labour is currently piloting a project of undertaking research-based inspections in the informal business sector in all Provinces with the aim of conducting labour inspections in the informal economy within the next 2-3 years. This Pilot Project has yielded valuable data thus far with regards to the specific dynamics of the informal economy which will assist the Department in tailor-making a unique approach for the provision of Inspection and Enforcement Services in the informal economy.