Industrial Park responds to claims as locals demand access to job opportunities

Despite claims that a local industrial park had employed undocumented individuals, a representative of the park has confirmed that all the international workers at the park are documented.

This comes after locals from Mamelodi and Nellmapius, led by civic organisation Soil of Africa, held a march to the N4 Gateway Industrial Park on July 28, demanding clarity over jobs.

The march saw traffic come to a complete standstill as the group marched from Mamelodi to the industrial park to hand over a list of demands.

Peter Johnson, a representative of the N4 Gateway Park, who received the demands from the group, said they appreciated that the march did not interrupt any business proceedings.

Johnson said that, despite signing for receipt of the letter of demands, no promises of employment could be made.

“N4 Gateway has about 4 000 workers, and we have about 4% non-South Africans, but they all have legal papers and work permits,” Johnson said after receiving the letter.

“You can’t get through the security gates unless you have legal papers and work permits.

“We have a good working relationship with the community of Nellmapius, and whenever we have job opportunities, we give them employment.”

He added that anyone with valid documentation was welcome to make themselves available to be hired if positions are available.

“We are going to present the demands to our board members and have a discussion, hopefully in the next two or three weeks, to see what we can do.

“I have to add that our first responsibility lies with the Nellmapius community, and we will consult with them as well and afterwards will have a meeting with all of them, including Soil of Africa.

“We will have a meeting and see what we can do and respond to their demands,” commented Johnson.

Soil of Africa representative, Bongani Ramontja, said this was not the first time they had engaged with the management of the park.

The list of demands included:
– A minimum of 45% of the workforce within the park should consist of Mamelodi and Nellmapius residents.
– That the group be supplied with legal documentation verifying the employment status of all workers.
– The park should engage and subcontract to local businesses in Mamelodi and Nellmapius.

During the march, the group also supplied CVs of skilled and unemployed local residents for consideration by the businesses.

Soil of Africa demanded an immediate response, providing 72 hours for the N4 Gateway Park to get back to them.

Ramontja said failure to respond will result in daily picketing, sustained community mobilisation, and escalation of action through all available legal and civic channels.

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