10,000 labour inspectors to enforce workplace laws nationwide
Labour inspectors play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with South Africa’s labour laws, as President Cyril Ramaphosa announces plans to increase their numbers.
Image: Facebook/ Department of Employment and Labour
The Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) has issued a clarification to address the confusion surrounding the recent announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of 10,000 additional permanent labour inspector posts during the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
On Thursday, Ramaphosa said the police, the Department of Home Affairs, and labour inspectors will collaborate to crack down on violations of existing immigration, labour and other laws.
The full force of the law will be applied to employers found hiring foreign nationals who lack the necessary visas, Ramaphosa said.
“To tighten enforcement, we will hire an additional 10,000 labour inspectors this year,” Ramaphosa said.
However, this announcement, intended to significantly boost the department’s enforcement capacity, has been widely misinterpreted and conflated with the existing Project 20K, a separate, fixed-term internship programme aimed at recruiting 20,000 inspector and enforcement interns over two years.
DEL spokesperson Teboho Thejane provided a clear distinction between the two initiatives:
Project 20K
The Minister of Employment and Labour launched Project 20K in 2025 as a fixed-term internship initiative. The programme’s objective is to recruit a total of 20,000 inspector and enforcement interns across all nine provinces over two years, with 10,000 interns being recruited annually.
The interns will be placed on 24-month internship contracts and receive a stipend. Recruitment and placements have been underway since the programme’s launch, marking its second phase of implementation. Project 20K is a youth employment and capacity-building initiative, not a permanent employment program. Its goal is to strengthen departmental support capacity while providing young graduates with exposure to inspection and enforcement work.
10,000 labour inspectors
This initiative is set to significantly strengthen the department’s enforcement capacity by adding these 10,000 permanent inspectors to the existing inspectorate of approximately 2,300 nationwide. Their deployment will bolster compliance with labour legislation on the ground. It is important to note that this announcement is separate from, and does not relate to, Project 20K, internships, or temporary placements; the 10,000 posts are all permanent.
Thejane said the number of inspectors in South Africa is extremely limited when contrasted with the vast scale of employers and workplaces spanning both the formal and informal sectors of the economy.
He said the ratio between approximately 2,300 inspectors and millions of employers and workplaces nationwide has long presented a structural challenge for effective compliance monitoring and enforcement.
The deployment of 10,000 additional permanent labour inspectors is expected to yield substantial benefits, significantly improving the ratio of inspections to employers. This expansion will bolster the enforcement of key labour legislation, including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Labour Relations Act (LRA), Employment Equity Act (EEA), and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation.
The department will be better equipped to promptly address complaints, perform proactive inspections, and safeguard vulnerable employees. This initiative will promote decent work, fair labour practices, and enhance workplace safety throughout the nation.
Meanwhile, DEL Minister Nomakhosazana Meth said the includsion of an additional 10,000 labour inspectors is a major milestone.
“This is a major boost to our enforcement arm. The addition of 10,000 inspectors will significantly strengthen our capacity to enforce compliance with labour legislation, protect vulnerable workers and ensure fair labour practices across all sectors of the economy.”
Meth said that increased inspection capacity will enable the department to more effectively address non-compliance, exploitation of workers, and unlawful employment practices. This enhanced ability is expected to contribute to a more equitable and stable labour market.
thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za