Raising awareness on decent work in South Africa’s construction sector

George, South Africa – Babalwa lost her husband in the devastating construction accident that occurred in George in May 2024, claiming 34 lives. This tragedy, among the worst in South Africa, has shed light on severe decent work deficits that contributed to the high fatality rate.

While investigations into the disaster continue, preliminary assessments indicate that unsafe working conditions and non-compliance with labour laws played a significant role. To address these issues and promote awareness of decent work, the ILO Decent Work in Construction Project, in collaboration with the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and Federated Employers Mutual (FEM) Assurance, organized a roadshow campaign in George last October.

The two-day roadshow, held in Cape Town and George, brought together over 120 participants, including small enterprises, construction workers, organized labour, and business representatives. Speaking at the event, DEL Inspector General Ms. Aggy Moiloa stressed the high-risk nature of the construction sector and the urgent need for compliance with labour laws.

Construction is one of the high-risk sectors where accidents, incidents, and fatalities occur frequently due to non-compliance,” she noted. “This is why we came together with different role players to address decent work deficits as stipulated in the ILO agenda.”

ILO Director for Decent Work in Pretoria, Mr. Alexio Musindo, emphasized the importance of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in preventing workplace fatalities.

The responsibility of OSH lies with each of us. Through advocacy and dialogue, we aim to reduce deaths and occupational accidents by aligning with national laws and international labour standards.”

The campaign, reaching approximately 2.4 million people through media engagements, culminated in the signing of the Decent Work pledge. Stakeholders committed to promoting labour law compliance and reporting malpractices, vowing to build a safer and more ethical construction industry.

For Babalwa, the event provided a sense of healing and closure, reinforcing the need for continued efforts to uphold workers' rights and safety in the construction sector