Hundreds of private security officers marched on the streets of Polokwane yesterday, converging on the office of Limpopo Premier Dr. Phophi Ramathuba to demand immediate government action against security companies they accuse of systemic worker exploitation.
The protest, a collective action by several major unions including Satawu, the Democratic Transport Logistics and Allied Workers Union, Numsa, and the South African National Security and Allied Workers Forum (SANSAWF), called for the termination of government contracts with companies alleged to be violating labour policies.
The unions presented a list of grievances, alleging that numerous security firms contracted to guard government institutions are failing to meet their legal obligations to employees.
Paul Nephawe, a spokesperson for the workers, outlined the core issues. “Security companies that are not contributing are complying with the main collective agreement in the province,” he stated. “It’s also the medical aid, [and] the issue of the UIF. Most of the companies that are working in the government institutions are not complying.”
Workers at the march provided firsthand accounts of the alleged exploitation. A concerned female security officer, Rethabile Malatji, detailed inconsistent and unfair practices. “Our problem is that we are working without salary advance,” she said. “Our workers get different salaries while they work the same shift on the same days. Also, our workers… they are not giving us leaves. And also, they deduct our medical aid, then when we want to consult, we cannot.”
Another guard, Given Manganyi, echoed these concerns and alleged intimidation tactics. “Guards in Limpopo province… they don’t get the minimum wage. They don’t get their monies. They don’t get their bonuses. They don’t get everything from the employers,” Manganyi claimed. “When we approach the employers, they intimidate security guards… They use supervisors to go and intimidate workers.”
Union leadership expressed frustration with the provincial government’s response thus far. Anna Mashego, General Secretary of SANSAWF in Limpopo, revealed that repeated written appeals to the Premier’s office have gone unanswered. “We’ve been writing letters to the office of the premier… requesting and appealing to their office that they monitor compliance of the employers in the private security sector,” said Mashego. She specifically highlighted non-compliant companies operating in Limpopo.
Accepting the memorandum of demands on behalf of the Premier’s office, government official Rudzani Murovhi pledged to escalate the matter. “We accept your memorandum… and we once confirmed that we will make sure that we get these matters to the premier today,” Murovhi told the crowd. He also confirmed that a meeting with union leadership would be scheduled “within a short period of time.”
The protesters have given Premier Ramathuba seven working days to respond to their demands. Following the acceptance of the memorandum and the government’s assurances, the marchers dispersed peacefully.
