South African retailers face sweatshop allegations

Inspection blitz uncovers violations

Investigations in KwaZulu-Natal found workers paid as little as R12 to R17 per hour, according to Daily Maverick, while some piece-rate workers received only 20 to 30 cents per garment completed.

COSATU provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize, who was part of the oversight visit, said some employees were undocumented immigrants from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Eswatini who complained about not being paid.

“We then told the employers to pay them immediately. To our shock those workers were paid in cash an amount of R750 per week while others were paid as little as R350 per week,” Mkhize said.

Juliet Basson, a member of the ELPC, described the conditions she witnessed as “slavery”-like, and said she filmed the factories because she believed the public would not otherwise believe the accounts.

“When we entered the first premises, my heart felt that this was wrong. This is something South Africa needs to see. This is morally (wrong), I cannot keep this to myself. The truth needs to be told,” Basson told Independent Online.