Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has cautioned against the “disingenuous practice” of farm and forest employers not complying with the recently upwardly adjusted minimum wages.
Many employers were reportedly paying workers far less than the current stipulated minimum wages, which they attributed to the current drought that had impacted significantly on the agricultural and forestry industries. One of the undertakings made by farmers in receiving drought relief assistance from government is that they would retain workers during these drought conditions, said the department.
Oliphant noted in a statement on Monday that paying farmworkers less than the minimum wage of R2778.83 a month, or R14.25 an hour, which was upwardly adjusted in February, “flies in the face of the drought relief funding” being supplied by government.
The Minister urged workers to report any noncompliance in this regard to the inspectors of the Department of Labour (DoL) and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
“Any employers found to be flouting the minimum wages will be issued by an order to comply and taken to court by [the] department,” said the DoL.
Oliphant further indicated that farm and forestry dwellings inspections would be “stepped up” in the near future.