On-route protection against crime and injury for your employees
In the 2018/2019 financial year, Minister of Police Bheki Cele stated that 2.01 million crimes were reported across South Africa. While the World Health Organisation reported that more than 14 000 fatalities in South Africa are caused by road accidents, each year.
These are concerning numbers and while your employees are protected by COIDA while they are on the road, it only protects them when they are on duty or travelling to and from work using a transport service provided directly by the employer for free.
In terms of section 22(5), of COIDA, ‘‘the conveyance of an employee free of charge to or from his place of employment for the purposes of his employment by means of a vehicle driven by the employer himself or one of his employees and specially provided by his employer for the purpose of such conveyance, shall be deemed to take place in the course of such employee’s employment’’.
But what happens when…
- They get injured or die as a result of crime?
- They are involved in an accident on their way to or from work using their transport?
- They are involved in an accident on their way to or from work using a contractor’s vehicle?
- They get injured or die on-route while off-duty?