Protest action against ‘ill treatment of employees’ closes off main roads

"We are tired of fighting the same issue with these factory owners exploiting our brothers and sisters."

Traffic at a stand-still in Kwamathukuza, as protesters block the road.

Protesters closed off the main roads to town from Osizweni and Madadeni this morning, expressing frustration about the alleged ill treatment of employees at some factory shops in the Industrial Area.

The EFF-led protest in Newcastle had led to delays in motorists getting to work and has resulted in police presence in order to control protesters who are on the roads.

In a memorandum signed by the protest convener, EFF’s Cllr Sugar Thwala, protesters listed the following demands:

Employees sleeping in the factories must stop
UIF relief funding for April, May and June
Piece rate must stop immediately / R20 per hour demands /no hand payments
No temporary workers
SASSA concerns / Home Affairs concerns / CCMA concerns
Court maintenance fail to pay in time.

Cllr Thwala said the protesters are demanding fair treatment by employers:

“We are tired of the ill treatment by employers at factory shops. Employees are expected to sleep there and they are not paying attention to the Covid-19 virus, that workers might contract in their numbers. UIF relief funds have also never been received by employees. Where did that money go? We are tired of fighting the same issue with these factory owners, exploiting our brothers and sisters just because they need jobs. Workers are paid R290 per fortnight, which is ridiculous!”

Lizzy Arumugam of Newcastle SAPS Corporate Communication has said all roads have been cleared.

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