EFF statement following the march to the Department of Employment and Labour demanding justice for workers exploited by the private security sector

2 February 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) through its Workers Committee led by Commissar Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi marched to the offices of the Department of Employment and Labour on the 01st of February 2024, to raise sharply the matter of the exploitation of workers who have had R6 billion worth of their health and unemployment benefits stolen by the private security sector.

The march came after a damning report by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), which indicated the non-compliance of 2 224 security companies with Section 13A of the Pension Fund Act, in that these companies had been conducting deductions on workers salaries on the basis of paying towards workers provident funds, pensions and medical insurances, only to find that these monies were never contributed to any of these benefits.

This essentially means that there has been a large scale theft from workers, which spans over a period of over two-decades. This injustice against workers in a precarious sector such as security is cruel, and a testament to the falsehood of the private sector as a cure to corruption in South Africa.

The EFF has been a leading voice in the matter, and had on the 15th of January 2024 written a letter to Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi calling on harsh measures to be taken against non-compliant companies, which may include the revoking of their operating licenses as they are in breach of the laws of South Africa.

The march to the Department highlighted these demands sharply, and has highlighted the complicity of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) in the theft of workers monies and denial of their hard earn pension and health benefits.

It has been agreed upon that the EFF through its workers Committee will have a follow up meeting with the Department of Employment and Labour, members of the National Bargaining Council of the Private Security Sector and the Director of the CCMA, to explore measures to ensure the repayment of all the workers monies that have been stolen towards them personally if they are retired, and towards their health benefits and pension funds should they still be active in the sector.

In addition to this, the EFF will ensure the presence of the Executive leadership of PSIRA at this meeting as the regulatory authority in the sector, as this mass-scale exploitation has happened under their watch, and they ought to play an active role in revoking the operating licences of non-compliant and thieving security companies.

The EFF continues to remain a leading voice in tackling worker exploitation, and will champion these struggles within both the public and private sector.

We call on all workers to head to their nearest voting stations on the 3rd and 4th of February 2024, to ensure they are registered to vote. All workers must ensure that they register to vote for the only shield of workers in South Africa, and that is the EFF.

Register To Vote EFF!

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 2 February 2024