Unions in private security sector threaten to strike if grievances not addressed
They are accusing some private security companies of stealing money from their employees.
- South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU)
- National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA)
- South African Communist Party (SACP)
Unions in the private security sector marched in Cape Town on 26 September 2024 to voice their grievances over the alleged exploitation of security officers in the country. Picture: @psslanc/X
CAPE TOWN - Unions in the private security sector have threatened to down tools across the country if their grievances are not addressed.
Members of various trade unions, including the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), as well as the South African Communist Party (SACP), marched to Parliament on Thursday over the alleged exploitation of security officers in the country.
They accused some private security companies of stealing money from their employees.
The unions claim that some employers are deducting money meant for employee benefits, like the provident fund and UIF, without contributing to the fund's administrators.
The SACP's Monwabisi Mngxiza said that government should intervene since some of these companies benefited from government tenders.
"They are robbing us daily and when you look at your payslip, you will see deductions there, but when you claim, those deductions are not there. So we must say to the Department of Labour, we have had enough and we cannot allow these companies to exploit us as workers."
SATAWU's Philemon Bembe said that should government fail to intervene, private security guards would go on an indefinite strike nationwide.
"We are going to make sure that this memorandum reaches the portfolio committee and we are asking them that within seven days, they acknowledge, and they tell us what are they going to do with the memorandum."