Four months ago, security workers from Bosasa (now called BlackRox Security) protested in front of the Lindela Repatriation Centre, demanding better wages and a safer working environment.
The very next day, the Bosasa Group, now known as African Global Operations, announced that it would be closing down. From then on, many rumours of liquidation began to circulate. It is exactly this that has the workers at Lindela in a highly anxious state.
Watch the protest here:
On Tuesday, 4 June, the staff once again protested in front of the repatriation centre’s gates. The security staff didn’t stand alone, though, as their numbers were now bolstered by the staff from other departments, such as cleaning and administration. In general, they are afraid of what the future holds.
The staff all wished to remain anonymous, saying that they did not know what would happen to them if they gave the press their names. But, one by one, many of them approached the News to tell their portion of the story.
“We all have families. We are the breadwinners in our houses, and what will happen if we all lose these jobs?” one of the more vocal members said.
The problem soon became apparent. The workers feel left out of the conversation, and left in the dark about what is going to happen to their jobs. They claimed that they cannot get answers from management, and now their own union has gone silent about the entire situation, they claimed.
This protest was a demonstration of purpose and an opportunity for the group to define, among themselves, what it is that they want. They were planning to protest again the next day at the centre, and to make their way at a later stage to their union’s head office to ask what exactly was going on.
What is it then that they want? As with the protest in February, they are looking for job security and a better income. In February, they asked for additional transportation, a housing allowance, danger pay, a performance bonus and medical aid. This would have lead to an increase of nearly R10 000 in each person’s salary. Until today, however, they haven’t quite pinned down exactly how much of an increase they are looking for.
The bigger concern that they focused on with this protest was whether they will be let go if the company is liquidated.
“We are looking to government to in-source us,” one protester explained. Their hope is, if the government takes full control of the centre, that they would be kept on and appointed as government workers.
“We are begging government not to let our experience be lost,” he continued. In his view, the staff at the centre have been there for years and have immense, irreplaceable value for the company.
“We work with both young and old people. When you’ve worked with someone for five years, you build respect and know how to work with them. How will new people be able to do what we do?” he asked.
