Guards up in arms: Exploitation and unpaid dues by Mazaxa Construction

More than 400 North West security guards are accusing their employer, Mazaxa Construction and Projects, of a range of transgressions.

They say the company did not register with the labour department for the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), did not comply with the provident fund, did not pay outstanding 13th cheques, bonuses and salary increases and that they did not get proper uniforms.

The disgruntled workers allege their employer is defrauding them of UIF contributions as their payslips show that about R37 is being deducted.

But they claim they are not even registered with the labour department.

The Limpopo security company failed to meet a settlement agreement where it had agreed with the workers at the Commission for the Conciliation, Meditation and Arbitration (CCMA) that it would increase employees’ salaries at the end of last month, pay 13th cheques and bonuses and pay for previous sick leave and family responsibility leave.

Security guards employed by Mazaxa at the Lekubu health centre in Zeerust, who spoke anonymously for fear of victimisation, said the company had given them uniforms in 2021 when they had started working there.

“These guys are brutal. I have stopped complaining. I am scared of losing this job because they seem to have their ways in all the places,” said an employee.

Workers allege they are being instructed to look for people to replace them whenever they take leave or are absent from work.

Mazaxa is contracted by the North West health department to provide safety and security to health facilities around Bojanala and Ngaka Modiri Molema districts. Bojanala includes Rustenburg and Brits while Ngaka Modiri Molema includes Mahikeng and Zeerust.

The health department’s provincial spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane said it was aware of the workers’ complaints.

“The department has arranged a meeting with the security company to try and resolve the matter,” he said.

Lekgethwane said Mazaxa’s contract would expire before the end of this year.

Workers said they were afraid that the company might vanish with the money owing to them because there were rumours that it might fold at the end of October.

One worker said: “They are owing me more than R16 000. What if I never get this money?

“We’ve been failed by the health department because it is doing business with a dodgy company,” he said.

Mazaxa’s human resources official Harry Mokonyane, who is said to be the son of the company’s owner, did not respond to questions sent to him last Friday, “I have forwarded your questions to relevant officials,” he responded.

Mazaxa’s security director July Mabuza said the questions should be answered by those at the top.

“I am not authorised to speak to the media. In fact, I should be asking you who gave you my numbers,” he said.

Thabo Khumalo, from the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union to whom the workers are affiliated, decried the poor working conditions of the security guards.

“We fail to understand why money was not paid to workers on time,” Khumalo said.

“We want to meet the political head of the department, the MEC, to understand why security companies are allowed to abuse our people.”

An owner of a Mahikeng security company, who wanted to remain anonymous, lambasted the provincial government for outsourcing security companies outside North West.

“I cannot bribe anyone… so that my company remains compliant,” she said.

“I cannot entertain politicians because if I bribe them it means my workers (security guards) will earn peanuts like we are seeing as the company cannot pay its employees. Where is the money going?”