By Alicia Mmashakana
A nationwide pledge aimed at creating safer, healthier working environments for those working in the construction sector has been signed by the Employment and Labour Department and other stakeholders.
The department and its social partners, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company and the Compensation Fund, have united to support labour rights and ethical business practices in the construction sector.
Only 50% of companies in the sector are reportedly compliant with occupational and safety standards.
According to the department’s chief inspector for occupational health and safety, Milly Ruiters, the department supported advocacy work before it has to “apply a stick to ensure compliance with labour laws”.
The pledge was signed during a roadshow in Philippi in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The agreement between the government, labour and business aims to create a safer, healthier working environment.
The partnership focuses on advancing labour rights, eliminating exploitative practices and enhancing productivity in a sector that is vital to the country’s economic growth.
It follows the recently signed Construction Health and Safety Accord designed to promote a decent work agenda in the sector.
Ruiters said the movement wanted to promote fair competition, fair wages and social security.
The ILO’s Jens Christensen said the construction sector was a vital part of South Africa’s economy because it employed more than 1,3 million workers.
He said globally, one in five workers died and 395 million workers sustained injuries every year in the sector.
Christensen said an area of concern in the sector was the lack of training of workers, “who are just pulled from the streets”.
He called for accountability in the construction sector, saying “for every worker that dies – the costs are devastating”.
The campaign seeks to promote four initiatives.
They include advocating for workers’ rights to safe, secure and compliant working conditions, and promoting labour law compliance to protect workers from exploitative practices and to enhance labour productivity.
It also focuses on facilitating effective workplace inspections, and contributing to building capacity through continuous learning, collaboration and knowledge sharing to create decent and productive workplaces.
The second leg of the roadshow will be held in George in the Western Cape on Friday.
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