21 Nov 2019

Cabinet has approved review of the Factories Act while a request to Cabinet to review the Worker’s Compensation Act is ongoing, says Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Mpho Balopi.

Answering a question in Parliament on November 20, Mr Balopi said responses and comments of the ministries, worker’s representatives and the business representatives were being collated and consolidated.

“I anticipate to present the resulting draft amendments of both the law and policy for Cabinet consideration by the end of the current financial year,” he said in response to question from the Shoshong MP, Mr Aubrey Lesaso.

Mr Lesaso had asked Minister Balopi to state the specific laws and policies that regulated occupational health and safety and to explain whether the said laws and safety were adequate.

He also enquired on whether the minister would consider enacting a law on occupational health and safety and whether he would formulate a policy on occupational health and safety.

Minister Balopi further elaborated that the laws that regulated occupational health and safety were the Factories Act (Cap 44:01) and the Workers’ Compensation Act (Cap 47:03), whereas the National Occupational Health Policy was at a draft stage.

“It must be conceded, from the onset that the laws as passed by Parliament in 1974 and 1998, respectively, are inadequate to deal with the current and future workplace safety challenges, which we must anticipate as the country develops in an increasingly demanding global economy,” he said.

He said the safety of labour or the workforce, as well as the safe working environment, were primarily key to productivity, which was desired by all.

Mr Balopi said under the Decent Work Country Programme, his ministry in collaboration with other ministries which dealt with aspects of occupational health and safety, were currently in the process of formulating the National Occupational Health and Safety Policy. Ends