The newly launched Impimpa hotline is set to help vulnerable and isolated workers, such as domestic workers, to report non-compliant employers.
Launching the hotline on Thursday, Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said the hotline aims to strengthen compliance with the National Minimum Wage (NMW) determination, which is currently sitting at R20.76 per hour.
“You don’t need data, airtime or a smart phone to use the hotline,” the Minister said.
The number to dial when reporting non-compliance is *134*305# and the person reporting will select the job category they are in, and thereafter follow the prompts.
According to Nxesi, the software behind Impimpa allows the department to monitor sectors and areas where problems arise. It also allows them to monitor the response time of inspectors.
The Minister said the department is not declaring war on employers but it wants to ensure the dignity, safety and conditions of service of workers.
“As a department, we remain committed to this vision of transformation in the workplace and creating the conditions for decent work. The Impimpa hotline will contribute to that.”
Nxesi said as the department, they have picked up complaints of non-compliance with regard to vulnerable workers in isolated employment environments.
“We found non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act, as well as failure to enforce the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act regarding hours worked, leave and in extreme cases, near-slave conditions, where workers were locked in premises overnight,” the Minister said.
He said the inspection blitz, jointly with officials from the Departments of Home Affairs, and Agriculture and Rural Development, will continue in sectors where there are vulnerable workers.
The launch of the hotline coincides with the latest review of the National Minimum Wage rates, which were published on 17 February 2020.
“The NMW Impimpa hotline will provide an effective monitoring and enforcement system. Its launch is seen as vital to the success of this significant policy intervention – the National Minimum Wage,” the department said.
The Impimpa hotline is a mechanism to ensure that employers are complying with the NMW Act and are held accountable if they are found to be non-complying.