Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo
01 April 2025
The deputy minister of employment and labour, Jomo Sibiya joined by the provincial chairperson of the ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga Bethuel Zunguza and MMC Thandi Ngxonono led a Blitz inspection at the Chinese Cash and Carry, Secunda Hair Salon & Hyper Check Supermarket in Secunda on Friday, 28 March 2024
The purpose of the inspection was to monitor retail shops that are underpaying employees to ensure compliance.
According to Bethuel Zunguza, the majority of the shops that were inspected do not have permits and are not complying with labor laws.
Seven (7) illegal employees were arrested on the day. In one of the shops, some employees were found hiding in the ceiling and were arrested by the South African Police Services. The department of Home Affairs is currently perusing their documents, including their passport and permits.
All the shops were closed after the inspection as they did not have permits to operate.
“The municipality and other relevant departments should do their jobs on a daily basis to ensure compliance. The department of labour should ensure that retail shops comply because about 90% of these shops do not comply with labour laws. We are worried about these shops that employ undocumented people whereas there is a high number of unemployed youth in our communities. We are calling for a big operation ‘thatha konke’ and ‘operation cleanup’,” said Bethuel Zunguza the provincial chairperson of the ANC Youth League.
