Employment and Labour, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to host Portfolio Committees on Labour and Rural Development

The Department of Employment and Labour in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Mpumalanga Province will conclude the Workers’ Month by hosting the joint Portfolio Committees on Employment and Labour as well as Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development from Thursday, 26 to 29 May 2022.

The Committees’ oversight visit to the province will commence with a briefing meeting in Mbomela on Thursday and for the next three days, the entourage will be conducting inspections and stakeholder engagement sessions in farms around Malelane, eNhlanzeni, Belfast and Mkhondo.

The main objective for this oversight visit is to assess the level of compliance in the area and to engage with stakeholders relevant to matters of farm dwelling, their standard of living, their working conditions and all other challenges. The other two days shall be spent visiting specifically identified farms to observe both living and working conditions. Hence inspections will also be conducted.

Inspections will be focusing on compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA), and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA).

These departments will be reinforced by the Department of Home Affairs, South African Police Service (SAPS), and Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). All these participants will ensure that all employers comply with laws of the country.

The (UIF) and the Compensation fund (CF) will grace the visit on Saturday and Sunday. The two funds will each be offering a package of services including: registration of employers and new applications for all benefits, attending to enquiries, assessments and processing of claims and payments.

Source: Government of South Africa