ONE of South Africa’s most iconic buildings, Carlton Centre in Joburg, has been brought to a standstill.
About 105 security officers and 60 cleaners are demanding to be insourced by state-owned enterprise Transnet, which owns the building.
They locked all the doors in the 50-storey building, ensuring all businesses including shops do not operate.
Sylvia Poppy, who has been working as a security officer for nearly 20 years, told Daily Sun they have allegedly been exploited for too long and allegedly remained without any benefits including UIF and provident fund despite them allegedly being deducted from their pay slips.
She said Transnet allegedly kept chopping and changing security companies, some of which allegedly leave without paying them. She said when some of them returned at a later stage, they didn’t pay them what they were owed.
She said some companies only operated for about two weeks before they were removed.
“I have been working here for 20 years, I arrived here in 2004, but I don’t have UIF,” she said.
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“When you look at our payslips, money has been deducted. We believe we have UIF, but we have nothing because the Department of Labour doesn’t receive it.”
She alleged security companies negotiating contracts with the management also owed them, but Transnet was allegedly not bothered about that.
“We no longer want a middleman. We want to be insourced by Transnet.”
Another security officer claimed they had marched to the Department of Public Enterprises to hand over the memorandum, but nothing changed.
Cleaners claimed they haven't been paid since the previous cleaning company's contract allegedly ended on 8 November.
“We don’t get paid for working. We are told we must work without expecting any pay. We were told those who want to go home they are free to do so,” said another employee.
Union leaders and management have been locked in a meeting the whole day on Wednesday, 22 November, trying to map a way forward but the workers said the building would remain locked with no business operating until they sign a new agreement.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesman, Xolani Fihla, confirmed they were at the scene and it was calm.
“Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department members together with South African Police Service members attended to a protest in Carlton Centre Johannesburg CBD where security personnel are allegedly protesting for them to be absorbed by Transnet,” he said.
He added: "The entrances are closed for both workers and customers as they wait for engagement between security personnel and Transnet.”
He said the situation remained calm with reports of violence and police will continue to monitor the situation.
Transnet promised to comment on the situation, but they had no done so by the time of publishing.
