South African labour law needs revamp – minister

The enforcement of labour law needs to be revamped as it is not sufficiently protecting workers’ rights, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana has said.

Speaking at the 8th National Union of Mineworkers Congress in Vanderbijlpark on Monday, Mdladlana said the exploitation of workers was being compounded by the increasing use of labour brokers. “Informality has become the name of the game by labour brokers and yet people want us to believe that our labour market is rigid.How can it be rigid with the subcontracting that is so common?” he said.”If it was rigid, it would be difficult for chief executives of companies to retrench workers with such ease.”Unemployment in the informal sector has increased by 20 000 between March and July this year due to a sharp decline in formal employment, said Mdladlana.”A rise in informal sector employment shows a need for the creation of decent work agenda to protect the rights of workers,” he said.- Business report and I-Net Bridge”Informality has become the name of the game by labour brokers and yet people want us to believe that our labour market is rigid.How can it be rigid with the subcontracting that is so common?” he said.”If it was rigid, it would be difficult for chief executives of companies to retrench workers with such ease.”Unemployment in the informal sector has increased by 20 000 between March and July this year due to a sharp decline in formal employment, said Mdladlana.”A rise in informal sector employment shows a need for the creation of decent work agenda to protect the rights of workers,” he said.- Business report and I-Net Bridge