This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
Cape Times reports that a joint parliamentary committee has found that the minimum wage was not paid on some farms during an oversight visit in North West over the weekend.
The portfolio committee on agriculture, land reform and rural development, as well as the portfolio committee on employment and labour, conducted a joint visit to three farms in Matlosana Municipality to assess the living and working conditions of farm workers, farm dwellers and labour tenants on Saturday. The joint committee visited Bona Bona Game Farm and found that the farm was non-compliant with some of the legislation impacting farm labourers. “The areas of non-compliance included the non-payment of the standard minimum wage, and they were not compensated at the correct rate for overtime worked on a Saturday or Sunday,” the committee advised. It also said the farm was not compliant with the payment towards the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The farm was given 14 days to rectify the areas of non-compliance and the Department of Employment and Labour will be following up with the farm. The committee said it found 52 families were relocated to Hartbeesfontein farm from the surrounding farms when they were evicted. The farm was bought by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALR&RD), but there were no houses to accommodate the families. There were some temporary units and shacks with no water, electricity or sanitation. The committee requested the DALR&RD to engage with the Department of Human Settlements and the municipality to fast track the building of houses and the delivery of services to the area. Meanwhile, the committee found families were living in deplorable conditions in dilapidated mud and iron structures with no running water, electricity or sanitation on Beatrix Farm. The farm was acquired in 2014 for 13 families who have lived there since 1952. The beneficiaries appealed to the committee to intervene and to fast track the approval of the business plan that was submitted by the provincial office to the national department.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mayibongwe Maqhina at Cape Times
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page