MBOMBELA – A recent attempt to take the regional manager of Ulwazi Protection Services hostage was diffused at the Nelspruit Police Station last Wednesday.
This was the desperate attempt of eight employees demanding their salaries, which had been outstanding for more than a month.
According to Mr Godfrey Moya, the regional manager of Ulwazi Protection Services, he was cornered by a group of ex-security guards who previously worked under his supervision. They mauled him to the ground and after removing his backpack, keys and cellphone from his person, they took him to the police station.
Ms Chrisselda Fakude spoke on behalf of the group and explained that they brought him there to hand him over to the police as their last wages had been outstanding since November 15. The group felt that Moya had to take responsibility for the situation.
Lowvelder interviewed Moya and it came to light that he had not received his salary either. According to a termination letter that was provided to Lowvelder, the company terminated its employment agreements with some of their staff members. This letter promised a final payment to the employees on November 15, which had still not been received. Fakude said their grievances had been aired to the company’s accountant, Mr David Bala and that he had promised they would receive their money by Friday, December 19.
“We are weary of trusting them and don’t have any guarantees. That is why we had to bring Moya to the police station. Someone has to help us,” Fakude said. Moya referred Lowvelder to the company’s accountant, Mr David Bala. He was not available for comment, but Moya confirmed that the former staff members would receive the amounts due to them by December 19. According to Fakude, none of these former employees had received the payments they had been promised by December 19.
The former employees’ case against Ulwazi Protection Services will be heard by the CCMA on January 5 next year.
