Government announces deadlines for the submission of the final report by the 8th departmental commission

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has initiated a call for demonstrations, rallies, and dharnas in all its units across the country on August 17.

The reason for this call is a number of unresolved issues concerning labor relations. These issues include increasing the minimum pension, reviewing the wage limits for EPF and ESI, restoring the Old Pension Scheme, and making amendments to the provisions of the new labor codes.

Parliament announced on Friday that the recruitment process for the controversial Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) will be conducted through the SA Youth Mobi digital platform. Ricus Badenhorst, Chairperson of the Electoral Committee on Public Infrastructure and Minister in the Presidency, noted that EPWP has long faced accusations of political control, patronage, and abuse in the distribution of opportunities.

Badenhorst emphasized that the decision by the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), Dine McFerson, to move EPWP recruitment to this platform marks a significant shift in the government's approach to creating jobs for unemployed South Africans. He explained that these concerns were voiced directly during nationwide public consultation tours within the EPWP.

According to Badenhorst, this reduces the influence of politically connected intermediaries who decide who receives an opportunity and who does not. He stated that the answer to the problem cannot simply be another political document but must lie in reforming the program itself. Digitizing recruitment addresses exactly this, making opportunities visible and applying rules based on factors such as location, education, and qualifications.

Furthermore, it was noted that the SA Youth Mobi platform is zero-rated, meaning unemployed youth can access it without needing to spend money on connectivity or internet, which is critically important in a country where job searching can itself be a barrier.

Badenhorst also explained that EPWP cannot remain a 'revolving door,' where people participate in short-term projects, perform temporary work, and remain as unemployable as before. The 'Infrastructure Work' project aims to change this model by offering longer participation, practical experience in infrastructure repair and maintenance, mentorship, training, certification, and pathways to recognized professional opportunities and, ultimately, permanent employment.

He added that South Africa needs not just government programs that improve participation statistics, but programs that genuinely enhance people's prospects. Parliamentary oversight will monitor implementation, accessibility, and the extent to which the stated pathways lead to sustainable employment, as the reform must be measured by results.

In March 2026, DPWI reported that EPWP suffered from non-transparent recruitment, insufficient vetting, and administrative weaknesses that facilitate manipulation, patronage, and fraud, often carried out by district advisors controlling beneficiary lists. The department stated that comprehensive reforms prioritizing robust digital systems over flawed human control were immediately necessary.

Similarly, MEC Martin Meyer of DPWI KZN noted that during civic engagement outreach for EPWP, this issue was cited as a primary concern. He reported that complaints included participants being required to prove party affiliation, pay for work, receive work for sex, or receive work for people with connections to officials. This prompted the department to launch a fraud-fighting portal and an EPWP whistleblower portal.

Inspections have begun in South Korea regarding the working conditions of Uzbek citizens employed in the shipbuilding industry. The checks were initiated following complaints about agreements that stipulate a fine of two thousand dollars for each month of work with another employer without prior written permission from the Uzbek side.

These workers arrived in South Korea on an E-9 visa as part of a special program designed for employment in shipbuilding. Before leaving Uzbekistan, they signed relevant contracts with the Agency for External Labor Migration. According to these documents, the worker is prohibited from changing jobs independently; such a transition requires written approval from the Agency's representative office in South Korea. Violation of this clause entails a fine of $2000 for every month worked for another employer. Furthermore, sanctions are provided for refusing to comply with the employer's legal requirements and for illegal stay in the country.

The situation raised particular concern among Uzbek workers at shipbuilding sites in Ulsan. Workers reported that after being dismissed or laid off, it was difficult for them to find new employment due to the threat of fines.

The situation gained greater public attention after the tragic death of a 26-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan at the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan. According to the South Korean publication Pressian, the incident occurred on July 18 due to a production accident. The deceased's colleagues stated that he had previously suffered from injuries, was worried about continuing work at the shipyard, and intended to change companies but faced difficulties when changing employers.

Two days after the tragedy, Nurmatjon Komilov, head of the Korean representative office of the Agency for External Labor Migration, held a meeting with over one hundred Uzbek workers. These employees demanded a review of the terms of the existing agreements and shared stories where, they claimed, fines were applied even after they had left the subcontractor facilities.

The Agency explained that changing employers is permissible under certain circumstances. Specifically, this is possible during temporary suspension or downtime of the enterprise, as well as when there are confirmed medical indications. The agency added that such agreements are also linked to the problem of illegal stay of Uzbek citizens in South Korea.

South Korean authorities showed interest in this issue. The country's Ministry of Employment and Labor, together with the Embassy of Uzbekistan, has started inspecting the working conditions of Uzbek migrants. The South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor emphasized the need to study this issue from the perspective of international law. Additionally, the South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family reported the possibility of signs of human trafficking in such conditions.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries stated that it did not participate in signing agreements with workers or establishing penalty clauses. The company also denied that its consent was a necessary condition for the worker to be released from these obligations.

Earlier, a large-scale fraud scheme was uncovered in Tashkent related to promises of employment in South Korea. Two suspects demanded $55,000 from a man, promising to arrange his job and obtain a residence permit through their supposedly influential acquaintances.