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SA fisherman's working conditions commended
South Africa has been recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for its work on promoting the working conditions of fishermen on board fishing vessels, during the recent South East Asia C188 Workshop held in Cape Town.
©Pattara Singsuwan via 123RF
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) acting CEO Sobantu Tilayi said the gathering was being held in response to a request from the ILO for South Africa to assist with "hosting inspectors from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines who are interested in seeing a port-state fishing/labour inspection regime in action."
The two global organisations have identified South Africa as a role model for the work it is doing to ensure that fishermen have decent conditions of work on board fishing vessels in compliance with the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188).
Officials from the Thai Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, the Thai Office of Maritime Security Affairs, the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower, the Philippines Bureau of Working Conditions and the ILO are attending the workshop which includes visits to the ports of Cape Town, Saldanha and St Helena.
The five-day workshop will guide the South East Asia delegation on:
• South Africa’s implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188) since its ratification in 2013.
• South Africa’s Maritime Legislative framework and the institutional arrangements in the implementation of the ratified Work in Fishing Convention.
• The amendments to the South Africa Merchant Shipping Act to cater for the Work in Fishing Convention.
• The practical implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention with visits to different types of vessels.
• Showcasing the implementation of the safety construction of fishing vessels (new builds).
"It is a great honour to be recognised for the work South Africa and SAMSA are doing to promote the working conditions of fishermen on fishing vessels," says Tilayi. "The South African Constitution holds that everyone has the right to fair labour practices and SAMSA, as the custodian of South Africa’s maritime interests, is committed to improving the working conditions of fishermen in South African territory."
