The Department of Employment and Labour in the Mpumalanga province conducted a multi-faceted, high-impact inspection at Tomahawk Farm in Malelane. During the nationwide inspection carried out by the Department of Employment and Labour on Friday, 137 foreign nationals were detained, and only three out of 114 inspected workplaces were found to comply with requirements.
Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya stated that this highly effective operation, one of the largest interdepartmental inspections across the country to ensure compliance with regulations, will continue. The operations were conducted nationally, with key enforcement activities taking place in the Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces, as well as in other regions. The goal of these measures is to promote lawful employment, protect workers' rights, and eliminate instances of non-compliance in workplaces.
Department representative Tebogo Tejane reported that the national operation inspected 114 workplaces, and only three met the standards. These inspections led to the arrest of 137 foreign nationals. The operation aimed to address systemic issues of non-compliance with labour legislation, immigration rules, and municipal bylaws, as well as to detain individuals for offenses such as illegal residency, demonstrating the government's response to critical issues.
Tejane specified that the National High-Impact Inspection included a total of 164 labour inspectors, 47 immigration officers, 123 SAPS representatives, 56 municipal/law enforcement officials, two Border Control Agency representatives, and specialized stakeholders, including environmental specialists, agricultural officials, representatives from the Liquor and Gaming Board, trademark officials, consumer protection representatives, private security, and Centlec.
Inspections revealed persistent breaches of key provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA), the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), and the National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA). Furthermore, violations of the Immigration Act and local bylaws were discovered. According to consolidated data from the provinces, the national inspections affected 4,291 South African employees, with a total of 546 foreign workers. One hundred nineteen notices, 10 prohibition notices, and 29 violation notices were issued.
Compliance rates were low: OHSA compliance was only 2.6%, COIDA compliance was nine percent, and UIA compliance was 0.2%. BCEA compliance, including (NMWA and industry definitions), reached 31%.
The National High-Impact Inspection took place at the Limpopo Central Hospital construction site. In the Centurion and Pretoria areas, Deputy Ministers Jomo Sibiya and Njabulo Nzuza, along with Mayor Tshwane Dr. Nasifi Moya, led the operations in Gauteng. Speaking to the press after inspecting one of the companies, Sibiya noted that the company violated several South African laws, including labour and immigration legislation.
Sibiya emphasized that the main problem is underpayment of workers. He stated that the National Minimum Wage Act is not being observed, and workers are paid significantly less than the established minimum wage level, which is currently R30.23 per hour, while they are actually paid R28 per hour. Workers are forced to work much longer than permitted and are not paid overtime. They may also be locked in the company at night, working 12-hour shifts, or even longer, without pay. Some workers are unregistered, including with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and are not registered with the compensation fund. Some even lack contracts, personal protective equipment (PPE), and uniforms.
Sibiya assured that the department would engage with employers but would simultaneously ensure adherence to the law. He stressed that inspections would continue nationwide because cooperation yields results. He added that the government cannot allow the hiring of illegal workers to continue, aiming to reduce demand, as the employment of illegal foreigners is deliberate. Nzuza noted that although the number of arrests may seem small, the message has been received.
Aditya Vuchi, formerly an entrepreneur and now an investor and founder of the investment platform VC Mint, plans to launch a new venture aimed at solving the problems faced by the gig economy workforce in the country.
This physical startup, whose name will be announced closer to the launch, will begin operations with a center in Hyderabad in the coming weeks. It will build physical community hubs where gig economy workers can access clean restrooms, rest areas, affordable food, electric vehicle (EV) charging, mobile device charging, and primary healthcare services.
According to Vuchi, delivery workers represent an undervalued consumer segment, not a category requiring social assistance. He told Business Standard: 'We believe that gig economy workers are a class of consumers, not a class of charity. They earn decent incomes and deserve services designed specifically for them, not handouts.'
The initiative is based on the results of a survey conducted by VC Mint among over 2,700 gig economy workers. This survey identified the lack of access to clean toilets and safe resting places between orders as the main pain points. Almost all respondents noted the absence of clean washrooms, and female delivery workers particularly emphasized the problem of lacking safe spaces during breaks.
The physical centers will operate on a monthly subscription model, access to which will be restricted to verified active gig platform workers. Although Vuchi declined to disclose the subscription cost, he noted that the services will be designed to remain accessible to workers earning around ₹25,000–₹30,000 per month. Besides Hyderabad, the company has not yet determined markets for expansion.
Approximately $2 million in capital has been allocated to the first phase of the project, funded through VC Mint—an investment tool that has already channeled over ₹45 crore into 45–50 startups. The startup also plans to attract funds from venture capitalists in the future.
When asked how this differs from toilets created by other platforms and e-commerce players, Vuchi explained: 'All other major platforms that claim to have rest stops essentially repurpose their parcel pickup centers or place small kiosks on the roadside and call it a rest area, but this does not provide real downtime for these gig economy workers.'
Instead of rapid city-wide expansion, the company intends to first create dense clusters of centers within Hyderabad before entering other markets. Vuchi noted: 'We learned from previous experience that density matters. We would prefer to have several centers in a city so that a gig economy worker is never more than five to seven minutes away from one of them.'
The first facility is being developed as a pilot project to test which services are most in demand before scaling the model. In addition to cafeterias and rest areas, the centers will house doctors, EV charging infrastructure, mobile phone repair workshops, and spaces where workers can simply spend time without the pressure to make purchases. The company is also negotiating with ecosystem partners, including the EV mobility company Yulu, regarding charging infrastructure.
Unlike several government initiatives and programs run by platforms, Vuchi stressed that the business is intentionally being built as a commercially viable enterprise. He believes: 'Welfare programs depend on the goodwill of someone else. We believe it should be a financially viable business if it is to scale across India.'
For candidates hoping for government employment, an important time has arrived. The wait for thousands of applicants wishing to join the Madhya Pradesh police is nearing its end, as the state government has approved recruitment for 9662 vacancies in the police department.
The Home Ministry has issued orders regarding the filling of vacant positions across various categories, thereby paving the way for a large-scale recruitment drive. The selection process will be conducted through the Madhya Pradesh Staff Selection Board (ESB).
A detailed notification regarding the vacancies will soon be released, providing all necessary information about the hiring procedure. This document will specify the number of posts, required qualifications, age limit, application submission process, examination dates, exam structure, and selection process.
Candidates awaiting police recruitment are advised to regularly check the official ESB website after the notification is published.
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, announced the approval of recruitment for 9662 posts in the police department. He stated on social media platform X that his government is continuously working to provide more employment opportunities for the state's youth.
After the notification is released, candidates will be able to check their eligibility and apply online. The recruitment process will be carried out in accordance with the rules of the Staff Selection Board. Applicants are advised to prepare the necessary documents and monitor official updates regarding application deadlines.
This recruitment represents a significant opportunity for youth preparing to work in the Madhya Pradesh police. Full details on the number of posts and examination dates will become available after the official announcement is published.
