Employers in Rustenburg continue to disregard labout laws despite several inspections by the department of employment and labour.
According to the Provincial Chief Inspector, Chris Sithole, non-compliance around Rustenburg is prevalent in all the sectors, and it is worrying.
“For the better part of 2025, we did most of our blitz inspections around these areas, targeting other economic sectors, and we believed our presence would also act as a deterrent to other sectors; however, that was not the case, as employers continue to disregard the labour laws,” he said.
A blitz inspection in the wholesale and retail sector in Rustenburg uncovers pervasive non-compliance.
The Inspection and Enforcement Services Branch of the department of employment and labour in the North West Province, in collaboration with the department of home affairs and the South African Police Service, kick-started a four-day joint blitz inspection in Rustenburg.
Day one of the operation focused on the retail and wholesale sector in the area.
A total of 38 workplaces were inspected on the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA), Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), Employment Services Act (ESA), and the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Act.
These led to a total of 68 inspections completed as per the respective legislations, and out of this number, only thirteen were found to be compliant with one or more legislations, while 54 were found to be non-compliant.
According to Sithole, 16 contravention notices were issued together with 40 compliance orders, one improvement notice, and two prohibition notices.
The highest common areas of non-compliance were found in employers not complying with the electrical regulations, not paying according to the National Minimum Wage Act and also not providing employees with contracts of employment, not registering as an employer, and non-submission of declarations and returns of earnings.
In addition, some employers were charged for employing undocumented foreign nationals and they were subsequently taken in for processing by the department of home affairs, for contravening the Immigration Act.
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