Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya on list of companies of interest

We are not done yet with our inspection blitzes – vowed Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Sibiya 
 

Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya has vowed that the Department needs to compile a list of companies of interest, so as to pay special attention on them to ensure compliance. 

Speaking on the sidelines during this week’s inspection blitz in Gauteng, Sibiya said the Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch needs to compile as a matter of urgency a list of serial offenders and focus on them. 

“We need to be agile and be a step ahead,” he said it was also becoming clear that some businesses are taking short cuts and budgeting to pay fines.  

The Department on Tuesday (2 December 2025) initiated in Gauteng Province an inter-departmental high impact inspection blitz. The joint effort brought together inter-sectoral departments to ensure intensive and coordinated oversight in workplaces. 

The inter-Department team brought together Department of Employment and Labour, Department of Home Affairs, South African Police Services, and Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department. It started in Sedibeng (Vereenining) on Tuesday and yesterday moved to Devland commercial hub, south of Johannesburg. 

During the Devland inspection Krunch (Pty) Ltd with an estimated 138 employees was issued with compliance notices and prohibition notices. The potato chips manufacturing enterprise was found to be non-compliant with unemployment insurance, had no records of Compensation for Occupational injuries and Diseases (COID) Act.

 In terms of Basic Conditions of Employment Act the company failed to give some workers contracts, was found to be underpaying workers, not handing payslips. In terms of occupational health and safety prohibition notices were issued on lifting machinery, a lack of firefighting equipment, ergonomic issues and under serviced machinery and poor housekeeping among others. 

At Devland Cash & Carry the enterprise failed to issue workers with contracts, workers had limited resting period as the enterprise was operating seven days a week, underpayment of foreign nationals at rates below the National Minimum Wage, the company was issued with a compliance order for failing to comply with unemployment insurance and COID Act, and failure to comply with occupational health and safety. Devland Cash & Carry employs some 400 workers. 

So far, three employers have been arrested including more than 20 illegal immigrants. 

Sibiya said the inspection blitz were not meant to embarrass, but were a means to ensure compliance with the laws of the country and act as a form of advocacy.  

Enquiries.
Petunia Lessing 

Director: Media Liaison 

E-mail: Petunia.Lessing@labour.gov.za

Cell: 066 301 4645 

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