Frustrated workers at Daybreak Foods in Delmas have resumed protests, accusing the company of withholding their provident fund and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) payments while leaving them in limbo amid ongoing business rescue proceedings.
The workers, who last staged a violent protest two months ago over unpaid wages, returned to the company’s premises demanding answers about their unpaid salaries and employment status. Many claim they have not been formally retrenched but are unable to access their benefits or secure other jobs without proper documentation.
Workers Left in Financial Desperation
The protest saw a smaller crowd than in May, as many employees—mostly migrants from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal—could no longer afford to stay in the area. Some have returned home, while others struggle to make ends meet.
Nomathemba Lebego, a worker representative, explained that despite meetings with business rescue practitioners, employees remain unpaid and uninformed. “We need our provident fund and UIF so we can survive,” she said. “Workers are starving, some have been evicted, and children are being sent away because parents can’t afford food or school fees.”
No Clear Answers from Company or PIC
Workers allege that Daybreak Foods is deliberately avoiding retrenchment to evade paying out owed benefits, forcing them to resign instead. One employee, who took a lower-paying cash job, said she had no choice due to the lack of UIF access.
Efforts to get clarity from Daybreak Foods and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) have been unsuccessful, leaving workers in distress. Some face repossession of furniture bought on credit, while others struggle to afford transport to the protest site.
Calls for Urgent Intervention
The situation highlights broader concerns about worker rights during business rescue processes. Protesters are demanding immediate payment of outstanding wages and access to their funds, urging authorities to intervene.
As the standoff continues, the workers’ plight underscores the human cost of corporate restructuring, with families pushed deeper into poverty while awaiting resolution.
