Retrenched legacy workers demand ‘alternative solution’ amid closure of Darnall sugar mill

Ex-Darnall mill workers have pledged to stage a protest “for as long as it takes” to get Tongaat Hulett to meet their demands, North Coast Courier reports.

The sugar giant closed its Darnall mill last year, laying off hundreds of workers – both permanent and casual.

Tongaat Hulett said one of their reasons for shutting the Darnall mill was to reduce high production costs, in an industry that has been in crisis for a number of years.

The mill has however, continued to accept grower’s cane deliveries which they then transport to their other mills.

Employees affected

From the day he was born, Zakele Mhlangu’s life, like that of the old Darnall sugar farming town, revolved around the Darnall Sugar mill.

The son of a mill worker who worked for the company for 32 years, Mhlangu was born in Darnall. He grew up playing with the children of other sugar workers.

When he was sick he went to the mill’s clinic. After high school, like many of his friends, he got a job at the sugar mill.

But after 25 years of working at the mill, the only world he ever knew came to an end.

After 175 years of cutting, crushing, boiling and refining sugar cane, Tongaat Hulett mothballed Darnall Sugar mill and with it the livelihoods of nearly 400 workers.

The news was almost unimaginable for Mhlangu and others, such as Lazarus Mazibuko, who was laid off after 18 years of service.

Rajen Soobramoney who was also born and raised at Darnall and landed his first job at the mill in 1989.

His father worked at the mill for more than 30 years, as did everyone he knew.

History of Darnall Sugar mill

Established in 1846, Darnall Sugar mill has provided work and operated as a staple in the small sugar farming community for more than 100 years.

It was one of Tongaat Hulett’s 4 mills on the North Coast.

The cane crushed at Darnall was diverted to the company’s other two mills at Amatikulu and Maidstone.

The largest employer on the North Coast, began stringent cutbacks in 2019 to avoid financial disaster in the wake of accounting irregularities.

The company admitted that its 2018 financial results were wrong and it had deliberately overstated its assets by up to R4.5 billion.

What’s happening today

Darnall ward councillor, Commico Ntleko said the workers had been misled by Tongaat management, who had assured them the mill would be leased or sold in the immediate future.

“In October last year Tongaat Hulett’s managing director, Bongani Gumede, said in a letter that the mill would be leased or sold, but nothing has happened.”

“In recent weeks Tongaat has been stripping the mill of its assets. This tells us they have no plans to lease or sell the mill. How can they do that? If there is nothing left of the mill, no-one will buy a scrap yard,” said Ntleko.

However, Tongaat Hulett spokesperson Virginia Horsley said efforts to sell the mill or find investors had been unsuccessful.

She said a stakeholder forum has been established to find a suitable alternative use for the property and “mitigate the socioeconomic impact in local communities”.

The workers have also accused Tongaat Hulett of using intimidation and fear tactics to thwart their efforts of a sit-down after the private security company, hired by Tongaat, arrived last week heavily armed with rifles and anti riot gear.

Horsley said allegations of improper conduct by security personnel would be investigated and appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome of this investigation.

Ntleko said he and other retrenched workers have started a 6-month long sit-down at the mill until Tongaat can come to an agreement with the community who have banked their hopes on the mill starting production again or an alternative solution can be found for the mill.

“The community was left with nothing and we have nowhere to go but here.”

Horsley said all retrenched employees received their entitled severance benefits, in excess of minimum legal requirements.

“Fixed term contractors who had worked for the business for extended periods of time also received severance benefits. The claims made are however noted and a session has been arranged with the councillor and aggrieved former employees to better understand these claims, which we will investigate further, where appropriate.”