VIDEO: Company accused of favouritism

Unemployment has forced the community of Elandsdrift in Muldersdrift to fight for equal opportunities from a local business that they’ve accused of ‘prioritising’ foreign nationals.

The aggrieved community halted operations at Natural Value Food on Monday, 15 March demanding that the fresh produce wholesaler consider employing locals who are in desperate need of jobs.

Watch here:

Community leader Fannie Dlamini, who is leading this fight, told the Northsider that they approached the company to warn it against favouritism and exploitation of workers.

“This company has more foreign contracted workers than locals. Local labour is only hired as casual workers, some of whom earn a minimum wage of R90 per day,” he alleged.

The company’s group financial manager, Socraps Zifamba, commented on the issue. “This matter has come to our attention and we’ve asked the aggrieved community to send a list of their grievances for us to look at and see how we can find a solution to them,” he explained.

Zifamba admitted to the claim that the company hired casual workers. “The company takes in a lot of casual workers, but as far as the contracts are concerned, we will try and replace foreign nationals with nationals as and when their contracts expire.”

He added that there’s never been an agenda to exclude nations from the company. “Nationals get employment opportunities, but are never available when there is a vacancy. We even prefer locals over foreigners because they never have ID and residential problems like some of the foreigners,” said Zifamba, dismissing the allegation of patronage.

A meeting between the two parties is set to take place on Thursday, 18 March, to find an amicable solution to the brewing tension.