RCL Foods reacts to demands for jobs by protesters
After a peaceful march by Practical and Radical Economic Transformation SA (PRET SA) a few weeks ago demanding more job opportunities, RCL Foods responded by explaining how it was already involved in and assisted the community.
MALALANE – Dozens of community members from all over Nkomazi, led by civil organisation PRET SA, marched from the Malelane Gate turn-off at the N4 to the Mhlatikop entrance near RCL Foods’ local sugar mill on October 3.
READ: Organisation conducts peaceful march to RCL Foods
PRET SA formally submitted their demands on October 6, and RCL Foods replied four days later. One of the demands was that RCL absorb an additional 1 500 employees, to which RCL Foods explained that it already employs more than 20 000 people on a national basis and that additional employment in the current economic environment is not viable.
The Level 2 B-BBEE contributor is passionate about building and accelerating skills, and around 25 per cent of its workforce is younger than 30.
RCL Foods has successful joint-venture partnerships with land-reform communities, with joint-venture companies having paid more than R31 million in rental, among other programmes, to claimant communities in the previous financial year.
The company purchases sugar cane from independent cane growers at an annual cost exceeding R2 billion, and stated that 67 per cent of the sugar cane from Nkomazi is obtained from black-owned business entities.
In a statement, RCL Foods also said that it has various CSI initiatives to address the needs of its stakeholders and partners with government.
PRET SA also demanded that a joint Project Implementation Committee be established, but RCL Foods stated that it “would only serve as a parallel structure which would frustrate the implementation of structured programmes that are being implemented and are designed on the basis of current legislation”.
RCL Foods concluded by saying that it has an “unwavering commitment to actively promote inclusive sustainable economic growth through local community upliftment and economic development initiatives”.
PRET SA, which aims to address unemployment in Mpumalanga and encourage and assist young people to create jobs, was promoted by premier, Mr David Mabuza during his most recent visit to Naas, following violent service-delivery protests. He encouraged young people to turn to the civil organisation for help regarding job creation.
READ: Naas residents in uproar over “poor leadership, corruption”
The SA Youth Council (SAYC) in Mpumalanga released a statement regarding PRET last Wednesday, contrary to the premier’s positive message on the organisation.
It stated that PRET’s claims seek to “fragment young people in the province and undermines structures of youth informed by the National Youth Policy”.
The SAYC spoke out strongly against a factional structure that is formed and given resources at the expense of legitimate youth organisations who already have programmes that seek to address challenges that face the province’s youth.
READ: Ayuda Foundation wants to help jobless youth
The youth organisation stated that youth leaders in the province have characterised PRET as a political weapon, and feel it is “confusing and misleading society”.
They concluded by saying that the SAYC remains an umbrella body for youth development organisations and should not be undermined by anyone in the province.
