Immigrant Workers Face Dismissal After Winning CCMA Case

Immigrant workers at M&N Waste say they are being unfairly treated.

More than 50 people picketed outside the premises of M&N Waste in Boksburg against the company’s alleged exploitation of immigrant workers.

The protest was organised by the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO) and the Simunye Workers Forum (SWF), which claimed that immigrant workers were unfairly suspended by the company.

According to Matsoanelo Motomotomo from the SWF, the company had employed workers from Malawi and Mozambique, some for over 20 years, knowing that they did not have work permits. They were allegedly paid below minimum wage.

In November, the workers took the company to the CCMA over their low wages. The CCMA ruled in their favour, but on 7 February, M&N Waste suspended several employees without pay.

Suspended workers told GroundUp that after the CCMA case, they were told that if they did not get valid work permits by January, they would be fired.

“We asked the employer to help us organise permits, but we were told that it was not the company’s responsibility,” says Atanaseo Mabunda, originally from Mozambique.

Another Mozambican, Ednercio Ngomane, said he was earning R18 per hour and worked about nine hours per day and 45 hours per week.

“The company went on to cut my hours and I would work for 35 hours, earning R690 per week, which was too little. All we wanted was to be paid fairly, and the company went on to fire us.”

According to Motomotomo, the employees have been offered R1,500 in severance pay. “What will the people do with this small change?” he asked.

Patrick Sakhula from Malawi, who has worked for the company for five years, said he had hoped that his severance package would be enough to support his family.

“When we were working, the company did not even ask to see our passports. We are surprised that they now want us to have permits,” he said.

M&N Waste representatives on site during the protest said the company would not comment on the matter. GroundUp also emailed questions to one of the company’s managers and did not receive a response by the time of publication.

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