The Department of Labour (DoL) through its Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch plans to hold a Wholesale and Retail Seminar at the Olive Conference Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, as part of an advocacy campaign to highlight voluntary compliance in the workplace.

The Seminar is held at the crucial moment as the department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services is pursuing the professionalization of its inspectorate, beefing up work place visits and inspections with focus on Wholesale and Retail sector, and advancing advocacy programmes with the aim of ensuring compliance to South Africa’s labour laws. The seminar will be held on 7 August 2013.

The theme of the Seminar is: “Sustainable small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME’s) in the Wholesale and Retail Sector”.  The theme dovetails on government’s endeavor and programme of action to create jobs and develop small businesses for sustainable employment.

The Seminar will seek to highlight how the Department of Labour could play a role to assist SMME’s to sustain themselves while complying with legislation such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act;  Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act and a myriad of other labour laws that are currently undergoing amendments in Parliament.

The Seminar is expected to attract more than 300 guests from the wholesale and retail sector, labour unions and interested stakeholders. It is expected to be addressed by DoL’s Deputy Director-General of IES Thobile Lamati; DoL’s IES Chief Director: Statutory & Advocacy Services Virgil Seafield. There will also be speakers from Wholesale and Retail Sector(s); Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta), Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration; Compensation Fund; and the department’s representatives.

The presentations of speakers will serve to discuss the state of compliance within the Wholesale and Retail Sector; complexities, challenges and dynamics of the sector; the role of industry Seta; prevalence of injuries and occupational diseases in the wholesale and retail sector; effective reporting of occupational injuries and diseases; compliance challenges within the sector; the role and importance of workers and their representatives in enhancing job protection in the sector.

Media is invited to attend the seminar.

via Department of Labour to host a Seminar on Wholesale and Retail Sector — Department of Labour.