Labour Dept to inspect food and beverages industry

"Labour inspectors are to take the bull by its horns when they conduct the first blitz inspections across the country next week to ensure compliance with all labour laws," spokesman Mishack Magakwe said.

Inspections range from compliance with occupational health and safety rules to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, as well as conditions of employment for the sector.

"This comes hot on the heels of similar tough-as-nail inspections in private security," he said.

The inspections follow a declaration by Labour Minister, Membathisi Mdladlana, that "workers' rights are human rights and that we will stop at nothing to ensure compliance".

The campaign, which starts on Monday, 17 May, and ends on Friday, 21 May, would see teams of labour officials meticulously going through company records, and interviewing workers and management to ensure that nothing goes through the net, Magakwe said.

"Workers in this industry are exposed to a wide range of hazards including exposure to noise, sharp instruments, biological hazards and collision with internal transports such as fork lifts.

"It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that those employees are reasonably well looked after."

Source: Sapa