THE staff at the Malvern Child and Youth Care Centre downed tools and picketed outside the facility on Wednesday, alleging intimidation, unfair treatment and concerns over the way the home has been managed since new management took over.

The home’s board has rejected several of the allegations, saying it has followed due process and introduced tighter controls.

The staff described the picketing outside the facility as an attempt to get management to take their grievances seriously. The staff members said they were unhappy with the way the home has been managed since new management, led by Pastor Henry Samuels and his wife, took over.

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According to Samuels, the CEO of the centre, they took over at the centre at the beginning of July 2026 and it was on the brink of collapse. “There was mismanagement and financial difficulties.”

Staff members who spoke to the Queensburgh News alleged that they had been subjected to what they described as emotional abuse and intimidation.

Among their concerns is the appointment of a foreign national as a senior supervisor. Staff alleged that the employee had little experience and that there were long-serving employees who were capable of filling the position.

The staff also alleged that some employees had been dismissed without warning or explanation.

One staff member said: “The staff that resided here, paying rent, have been removed from the premises while the new supervisor is staying in the home and eating the children’s food.”

The staff further claimed that they had been told when Samuels took over that a new board had been appointed, but that they had yet to meet the board. Another allegation was that money and donated goods from the home were being used to benefit Samuels’ church and private home.

“He even takes donations and hands them over to his church. He must go, we are fed up with him. He also invades our space and we are working in fear. He has made empty promises ever since he arrived here. The children cannot have cereals anymore as there is always no milk,” alleged one staff member.

Board disputes allegations

The home’s board disputed several of the allegations. Board member Hennie Combrink said no staff members had been retrenched to date and that the organisation had followed the relevant legal process.
“We have followed due process in accordance with the Labour Act and in consultation with legal counsel,” said Combrink.

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Asked how many staff members had been affected and what procedure had been followed in terms of labour law, Combrink said management had warned staff of a possible restructuring and invited them to attend consultative meetings.

He said Section 189 notices had ultimately been issued to five staff members, who were also invited to participate in a further consultation process. “Unfortunately, our attempt to engage with staff in an orderly manner was met by them engaging with an illegal, unregistered civic organisation, taking a threatening and intimidating position against management to the detriment of the children,” said Combrink.

Samuels also rejected allegations that items donated for the children were being given to church members.

“These allegations are substantially false,” he said.

“We receive food donations on a weekly basis and what is not consumed by the next week is then redistributed to other organisations in greater need.”

Samuels said that, before the new management took over, there had been no formal process for receiving, recording and distributing donations.

“Food or clothing items would arrive on site, and staff would be the first to come and collect what they wanted. Since arriving on site, we have implemented a detailed system of internal control for both receiving and dispatching goods.”

He said every donation received is recorded and that items redistributed from the home are also documented.

“The introduction of internal controls is one of the matters that staff is objecting to the strongest. The documents are available for inspection to your agency should you desire to look at it,” he said.

Allegations of intimidation denied

Samuels also denied allegations that staff members had been threatened or verbally abused. “The statement is substantially false and we have evidence to the contrary,” he said.

He further rejected the allegation that a new foreign employee had been appointed to a senior position.

“We have one properly documented foreign national on site, employed by previous management, for the past three years. Again, the record is open for inspection on site.”

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Samuels confirmed that the employee is the Child and Youth Care Supervisor and, like other Child and Youth Care workers, lives on the premises.
He denied that she received preferential treatment.

He also disputed claims concerning former staff members, saying that no employees had been dismissed and therefore there could be no reference to “previous staff” in the manner alleged.

The board also addressed allegations concerning staff members who had previously lived at the home and paid rent. Combrink said certain, but not all, staff members had previously been required by the former management to pay rent.

“These rentals were, however, not paid to the organisation, but into the account of an employee who decided to resign once we became aware of the fact,” he said.

He said the new management’s position was to immediately relieve all staff living on the premises from the obligation to pay rent.

“Once again, the evidence is available for inspection should you so desire,” said Combrink.

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