Workers take to the street in demand of better pay
A day after South Africa celebrated Freedom Day, employees of the Onderberg Verwerkingskoöperasie took to the streets to protest for a better life.
MALALANE -They demanded a 10 per cent salary increment, however, the employer only offered 7,7 per cent.
When Corridor Gazette arrived, negotiation talks between the two parties had reached a deadlock.
“We demand and will not accept anything other than 10 per cent. The prices of everything have gone up.Things are now expensive and with our salaries it is impossible to survive,” said an employee who requested to remain anonymous. According to the latter, they also demanded a 25 per cent increase in bus fare.
“We really need this increase.”
According to the strikers no one would enter the factory until their demands had been met.
“We will not move here. Nobody is going inside the factory, because we know that the moment anyone enters, all of this will be in vain. We have not and are not planning to cause any damage. All we are doing is exercising our right to protest, which is why we are doing so outside the building,” the employee added.
Police were present on the scene to monitor the situation and ensure that there was no violence. Despite rumours to the contrary, vehicles had not been thrown with stones.
“We have been here since the strike started, there has not been any stoning of vehicles or any violence,” spokesman for Malalane SAPS, Sgt Bheki Nkosi, said. At the time of going to print employees were still protesting outside the company’s gates.
