By Nosihle Shelembe
Pretoria - The Department of Labour is to investigate the building sector in a bid to establish a Sectoral Determination (SD) in the industry, which prescribes minimum wages and the conditions of employment.
“The Department would host a series of national public hearings aimed at obtaining inputs from employers and employees in the Building sector,” acting Ministerial Liaison Officer Mokgadi Pela said.
Sectoral determination deals with the protection of workers in vulnerable sectors.
“The determination sets minimum working hours, minimum wages, number of leave days and termination rules,” Pela said.
He said the building sector did not have a sectoral determination and was covered by the Bargaining Councils which did not cover the entire country.
The investigation would look at the feasibility of establishing a sectoral determination, the categories of employees to be covered by a possible sectoral determination and the conditions related to the operation within the sector.
It would also determine the level at which minimum wages should be pegged and mechanisms that would be used for setting minimum wages and annual increases.
The department would hold its first public hearing on Tuesday at the Sport and Recreation Hall, in Pretoria North. The department would also conduct two site visits.
The investigation is expected to be concluded on 29 August in George, Newcastle and Polokwane. – SAnews.gov.za
