The Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) took center stage at a crucial trade union dialogue on promoting decent work and extending representation to informal workers in the construction sector, held in Sandton from 24 to 25 June 2025.
The two days event, attended by trade union leaders from Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, ILO and SATUCC experts, sought to address the growing challenges faced by informal and migrant workers in Southern Africa’s booming construction industry.
In her powerful address, SATUCC Executive Secretary Mavis Koogotsitse highlighted the systemic exclusion of informal and migrant workers from labour protections. She outlined key challenges, including lack of union representation and collective bargaining power, precarious or non-existent contracts, making them vulnerable to exploitation, low wages and wage theft, with many earning below living standards, occupational safety and health (OSH) risks, as informal workers often lack protective gear and training.
Koogotsitse stressed the urgent need for capacity-building programs on International Labour Standards, particularly: the ILO Convention 155 (Occupational Safety and Health) to ensure safer workplaces and the ILO Recommendation 204 (Transition from Informal to Formal Economy) to provide legal and social protections.
"The construction sector thrives on the labour of informal and migrant workers, yet they remain the most neglected," she said. "Unions must expand their reach, governments must enforce labour laws, and employers must be held accountable. Decent work cannot be a privilege—it must be a right for all." She added.
Southern Africa’s construction industry relies heavily on informal labour, including cross-border migrants who face additional barriers such as language barriers, discrimination, and lack of legal status. Many work without contracts, social security, or access to grievance mechanisms. Despite their contributions to infrastructure development, they remain invisible in labour policies. SATUCC will work at the regional level to ensure decent work by campaigning to formalize the informal sector, strengthen union representation, and align national laws with international labour standards.