NELSPRUIT- Some employees from a well-known newly opened retail wholesale shop in the centre of Nelspruit were allegedly paid as little as R360, 00 a month.
According to the devastated employees some who work as cooks and grillers at Cambridge Food , they were surprised to receive messages from their cellphones indicating that that the company had deposited their January salaries on the 18th with different small amounts as little as R360,adding that they worked tirelessly the whole of December except on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
They also added that they never received any payslips since they were employed by the company three months ago.
“What can a mother with children do with such a small wage which is not even enough for buying a bus ticket to come to work? Schools have opened and children need stationery but with such an amount I can’t think of what to do,” said the sobbing mother of four.
“I only have one kid but can’t do anything for her with the R800 I received,” added another employee.
The employees also reveal that they didn’t sign any contract with the company the day they were employed and each time they enquire about their contract they are apparently threatened to be fired by the store manager and his assistance.
“We are being shout-at like small babies and one have to pretend to be busy each time they manager or the assistant comes in,” they said. They said they are not paid for their overtime duties.
They added that they are even not sure of their pay day when they because started work on November 5, they were paid R1200 on December 6, and in December some received their salaries on the 20th and some on the 24th.
The employees allege that each time they try to voice their grievances to the management they are told to resign. “Because the company will easily find replacement since there are a lot of destitute people who need employment,” they said.
They had also reported the matter to the Department of Labour.
When this newspaper enquired from the branch manager about the said allegations he said ““According to my company’s policies , we are not allowed to talk to the media,”. He directed all enquires to company head office.
Attempts to find comments from the head-office were fruitless as the person to talk to was not available at the time of going to print.
