Cosatu investigating truck company whose owner allegedly called driver ‘a black dog’

Cosatu is up in arms against a Potchefstroom-based road freight transport company whose employer allegedly used racist language and swearing against an employee who demanded a holiday bonus he believed he was entitled to.

This after a video circulated on social media on Christmas Eve in which a distraught truck driver was involved in a telephonic conversation ahead of the Christmas break with his employer, a white man who had a strong Afrikaans accent and is believed to be the owner of Junior Jack Transport in Potchefstroom in North West.

The concerned employee, a truck driver at the company, was heard asking “Baas Jack” why he did not get his annual bonus when all other workers at the company had received theirs. But “Baas Jack” responded in anger and swore at the driver in Afrikaans: “Jou p**s, jou ma se p**s, bring my f**ken lorrie and f**k off. Dis reg, jou swart hond.”

The worker, who said he was in Brits in North West at the time, agreed to bring back the truck but the owner continued with an avalanche of racist language against him. He complained that the employer must stop insulting him, but he ignored him and continued. In a voice message left on the employee’s cellphone, the employer said in Afrikaans: “Junior Jack’s drivers are people, not dogs, as you call them, you black dog. Who are you, what are you in a place of dogs…”

On Friday, Cosatu North West provincial secretary Job Dliso said the federation was busy investigating the matter. They would ask the South African Human Rights Commission to probe it and further take it to the Equality Court.

“As Cosatu in the North West province we are very disgusted by the racist behaviour of the owner of Junior Jack Transport Company against a poor worker, who was enquiring about the payment of his bonus, which he is entitled to as per the Road Freight Bargaining Council,” Dliso said.

He said they were concerned about the language the employer used against the worker in the video clip. He described it as “unbecoming and unacceptable racial attacks” by the white owner. “This is shocking and appalling and we strongly condemn it in the strongest possible terms. This is a clear demonstration that some white employers think they are a law unto themselves and view black employees as nothing but glorified slaves,” Dliso said.

He said they tried to contact the company but in vain. They assumed it had closed for the festive season. They would handle the matter in the first week of January.

Dliso said all freight truck drivers were entitled to a holiday bonus as a certain percentage given by employers, but some of it came from monthly deductions made from the worker’s wages throughout the year.

“As Cosatu we feel we cannot let this matter go unchallenged because it is common among the white employers in this industry,” Dliso said.

The federation vowed to defend the affected worker against any possible dismissal by Junior Jack Transport. The federation would also ask the bargaining council and the commission to urgently conduct an inspection at the company premises to check if it is complied with council rules and whether it was not involved in human rights violations.

“We further call upon workers at Junior Jack Transport who feel intimidated and are terribly treated by their employer, including all those who had not been paid as per the Road Freight Bargaining Council to report to the Cosatu provincial secretary urgently.

“No one is above the law and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice prevails and that the terrible and barbaric racial conduct is harshly dealt with,” Dliso said.

On the company’s Facebook page, concerned members of the public were angry at how the company treated its employees and the alleged lack of respect from its owner.

One Roelof le Roux said he wouldn’t recommend Junior Jack Transport.

“Received several voice notes indicating the owner has no respect for others. Also the comments on this page indicate a lack of discipline from the staff, but then again what can you expect if you listen how this employer treats his employees.

“It’s shocking to say the least !!!

Bonolo Sekwena wrote: “They are a racist den and the owner is pathetic he needs to be dealt with.”

Attempts to get comment from Junior Jack failed on Friday and the company’s phone appeared to be off the hook.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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