[Article] Police Rescue Labour Inspectors From Rampaging North West Employer

[BBBEE_CompSpec]

by Lloyd Ramutloa — last modified 2008-09-30 10:41 Police Rescue Labour Inspectors From Rampaging North West Employer

Released by Department of Labour on 06 June 2008
Labour inspectors in the North West had to summon the help of police when a security employer they were inspecting got violent and started assaulting them. The incident occurred in Pampierstad where the two officials, acting on a tip-off about the Crime Buster Security Services Company having not registered its employees for Unemployment Insurance Fund, tried to conduct an inspection.

The owner allegedly objected violently to their request to enter premises, and started insulting and eventually assaulting them. On arrival at the scene, police managed to rescue the pair who fortunately had not suffered serious injuries, and charged the owner. The case is being investigated.

[Marq]

I am not surprised.

The inspectors that have been round here lately were surly, belligerent on a mission to 'catch one out'. Their visits even had me wondering whether I needed staff in the first place. In fact a few times I ask the one guy if he really believed he was acting in the interests of the employees, as his suggestions would make me revisit my need to employee staff.

There is a trade off between being helpful and applying the act as an inspector. In the SME department where this government continues to assure that they will do lots to ensure success in this area, we have seen exactly the opposite.

In previous years we have seen helpful, smiling inspectors, who in our case never had an issue with anything and were thankful that all was in order. We have even had compliments that we are such nice employers doing things right and ensuring that we have happy staff.

I mentioned that our one staff member had been off on maternity leave and was unable to obtain any uif relief despite being on their records for the past three years. Didnt bat an eyelid - didnt offer any advise, didnt offer any help and after that didnt even ask to look at my uif records.

We have had the same small staff compliment for the past four years and our one employee has been with us for eight years since we started out here. They talk to us regularly and know they can tell us what they think or come to us if they have any problems, which they do. Now we have some turkey come along along and insist that we inform them of their rights and pay them their due....before he knows any facts. The fact that they get more than the act says they should in most areas and know their rights anyway, was irrelevant to him - he wanted to apply the act. Clueless clown trying to stuff up my business and my relationship with the staff. If he had been one of those being threatened as in this article, I think I may have drawn up a chair and sold tickets to watch.....

[Dave A]

I don't know if it's my imagination, but I've been getting this impression that gov regulators have been moving from

1. Corrective - You're doing it wrong, let's tell you what to do to do it right.

to

2. Prescriptive - You shall do it this way within 30 days, or else.

to

3. Punitive - It is my mission to find you doing it wrong and punish you to the maximum allowed by the law (and beyond).

[BBBEE_CompSpec]

Gentlemen, you are not governed by the Department of Labour. What are they doing on your premises to start with? They don't even have the rights to inspect your wage registers. I am going to do another thread on the rights of SARS and DOL. You'll be surprised how little power both really have.

[Dave A]

That sounds like a really good idea. Thanks Shaun