National Contract Cleaners Association Introduces a Compliance Certificate
THE National Contract Cleaning Association of South Africa (NCCA) continues to go from strength to strength. Our current national membership is at approximately 598 and 36 of our national membership are chemical and equipment suppliers. In the Western Cape, we have 94 members. Of the national membership component, 85% are small companies with less than 50 employees. We are also members of the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association (ISSA).
As an association, we are being recognised and accepted more and more as the custodians of the cleaning industry standards in South Africa. Many companies and government departments consult with the NCCA with regards to tender documentation and service level agreements before going out on tender. As the NCCA, we will always encourage the clients to invite NCCA members to participate in the tender processes to guarantee compliance.
Non compliance in the cleaning industry is becoming a major problem and needs to be addressed.
In the Gauteng region, the NCCA has already introduced a compulsory compliance audit on all its members.
As from January 1, 2020, a compulsory compliance audit will commence in the Western Cape involving our contract cleaning member companies and will be certified by NCCA-appointed auditors.
So as the regional branch, Western Cape of the NCCA, we encourage everybody between now and January 1, 2020, to get their house in order.
Chemical and Equipment Suppliers, as members of the NCCA are exempted from this compliance audit.
What are these non-compliance issues that the NCCA is faced with?
They are:
• That there are companies operating within the Cleaning Industry that are not paying the minimum monthly basic wage in terms of the Contract Cleaning Sectoral Determination promulgated under Section 51 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, no 75 of 1997.
• Certain companies are using illegal foreigners and use this loophole not to pay them the correct salary as these workers have no recourse to complain.
• Certain companies are deducting money for the issuing of basic uniforms to the workers they employ, which is illegal.
• Some companies are also deducting an administration fee from their employees to have them on their books.
• There are also certain companies who are using untrained casuals to work overtime over weekends, to avoid paying their permanent staff, time and a half or double time. (In some instances, clients are unaware of this practice and are being scammed and then, there are other clients who support this malpractice, in order to keep costs down).
• Some companies are deducting money for Provident Fund, UIF, WCA, etc and do not pay the money over to the relevant departments at month end. This results in that workers lose out on funeral, death and disability benefits. Also, when the term of the contract with the client ends, and workers are retrenched, the workers are the ones who then suffer the consequences of losing their money that’s due to them.
• Certain cleaning companies are also cutting corners by using inferior chemicals or no chemicals at all (if the client is not looking), thus causing a major health risk to the employees of the clients or the public who uses the clients’ property.
The NCCA is determined to put measures in place, to stop all these malpractices and to name and shame the companies that transgress these laws, we want the clients to enjoy the absolute quality experience and have peace of mind.
The NCCA will also engage with non-member companies when issues are brought to our attention. However, we can only act in all instances if we are provided with valid proof of malpractices taking place in the cleaning industry.
Threats facing the industry
The industry faces many challenges in the form of the current global economic situation where it has become increasingly difficult to achieve margins, hence the reason for cleaning companies to become creative and innovative with their business models and performance deliveries.
Threats within the industry
• Nepotism and corruption in awarding of contracts
• Employment of illegal foreigners and under paying them
• Abusing the Learnership system by placing learners on contracts and only paying them the stipend
• A negative perception prevails that cleaning is at the bottom of the rung of professions;
• Lack of best practice;
• Scarce skills of cleaning personnel
• Meeting requirements of the Employment Equity Act and B-BBEE
• The decision of clients to go back to in-house cleaning Our appeal, as the NCCA to all procurement managers and tender boards of:• Corporate Companies
• Local Municipalities
• Parastatals
• Local Government
Is to perform a proper due diligence before appointing a service provider, to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements.
The NCCA Code of Ethics
The association’s code of ethics are as follows:
• To provide appropriate services to meet customer needs, at prices economically viable to both parties;
• To employ competent staff and make them effective through training and the provision of suitable equipment and materials;
• To respect competitors with a spirit of free enterprise;
• To promote the industry through professionalism at all levels; and
• To comply with the statutes and the association’s constitution and to be open to audits in order to ensure compliance.
Special projects
• The National Bargaining Council is now in its finalisation stage.
• Our commitment to sustainable cleaning.
• Innovation, research and development remains ongoing with regards to equipment technology and green cleaning chemicals.
Skills Development as a priority
South Africa is a country filled with an abundance of opportunities for everyone. Those pursuing their goals in life must seize these opportunities.
The concept of Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs), allows us to enhance our lives with the development of personal skills, even when opportunities are created outside our area of expertise.
Learning and acquiring knowledge is absolutely vital to close the gap on the dearth of skills shortages across all industries in South Africa. The establishment of ongoing benchmarking and research programmes remain important to ascertain the facts. This is also important in resolving our education challenges as well as the socio-economic problems facing ordinary South Africans. We must ensure that we do not reduce our commitment to training, especially during economically challenging periods.
Our skills programmes are regarded as being among the best in the world. With the current unemployment situation in South Africa, we are strongly promoting the fact that there is a future in cleaning, especially when one considers that the cleaning industry virtually cuts across every other industry.