LLE alleges underpayment and safety violations at Tongaat roti factory - IOL
A screenshot of a video showing members of Labour Laws Enforcement conducting an inspection at the roti factory.
Nani’s Roti, a Tongaat roti factory, has come under scrutiny for alleged unfair labour practices and staff exploitation by the Labour Laws Enforcement (LLE).
LLE alleged staff were underpaid and the factory was not in compliance with the relevant health regulations.
The organisation swooped on the roti factory on Monday, after allegedly receiving complaints from staff, some of whom are believed to be undocumented foreign nationals.
According to a social media post by LLE, the factory is believed to supply rotis to major stores.
Mthobisi Shinga, spokesperson for LLE, said they visited Tongaat on Monday ahead of their planned march in the area on Thursday.
“We received complaints from workers at Nani’s Roti factory. When we inspected the factory, we found that they were not in compliance with the basic conditions of the Employment Act.
“We also found that the owner had hired foreigners and the factory was not in compliance with health and safety regulations,” Shinga claimed.
“The employees, some of whom are undocumented foreign nationals, are being paid R3,000 per month when the law stipulates that minimum wage should not be less than R5,200,” he added.
He said workers were not given employment contracts and were not making contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
Shinga said when the LLE leadership contacted the police and requested that the matter be investigated, they were told that there was no vehicle available to attend the scene.
“This raises serious questions about resources and the effectiveness of law enforcement in dealing with complaints of this nature.
“The LLE will continue to enforce labour laws, protect workers’ rights and demand that employers comply with South African law.
“We will conduct another meeting at the roti factory on Tuesday to have further discussions on how the issues can be resolved.”
Shinga said on Thursday, the LLE was expecting about 3,000 people to attend the marches across the Tongaat Industrial area on Thursday, where the LLE will check if companies in were compliant with labour laws.
