Cape Town - Eight Langverwacht Landscaping contract workers were allegedly dismissed after participating in an outsourcing rally at Stellenbosch University on Monday.
Nyamezile Tomose said he was uncertain of what Tuesday would hold for him because he had been fired from the job he had held for seven years.
In a statement, Langverwacht Landscaping denied it had notified workers that they would lose their jobs if they participated in the protest. The company also denied allegations that disciplinary action would be taken against any employee who had attended the mass action on campus on Monday.
“No worker will be dismissed as a result of participating in the protest action at the University of Stellenbosch on 9 November, 2015,” director Pieter Colyn said in a statement.
He said the company also respected the workers’ right to protest, adding that the necessary steps would be taken before future protected protests.
Tomose said he was told not to return to work on Tuesday because he had attended a mass meeting which campaigned for an end to outsourcing at Stellenbosch University.
“We are hurt because we really wanted to attend this meeting to hear what university management was going to say. But our boss didn’t want us to come and he told us to our faces that if we attended the mass meeting we should not return to work again.”
Tomose is a father of three who earns R2 800 for a six-day week job. Without this job, Tomose said he would be penniless.
He claimed the company didn’t secure any benefits or provident funds for workers. He said he and his family would be dependent on the Unemployment Insurance Fund until he found another job.
The contract worker said he felt the landscaping company treated them unfairly. “If we are just five minutes late our bosses deduct money. If we are sick and bring a sick note they still deduct money. They even deducted R150 for our uniform.”
Another worker, Ayanda Kreleni, said he had joined the company this year and was earning R2 020 a month. “Our bosses knew about this mass meeting; they just didn’t want us to attend it. We felt we needed to come here.”
At the rally, close to a thousand workers and students gathered at Rooi Plein to campaign against outsourcing.
Nehawu spokesman Geroo Otto said the trade union represented about 300 Stellenbosch sub-contracted workers. He said subcontracted workers earned about R3 000, while Stellenbosch University workers earned R8 000. “We are trying to persuade the university to bring an end to outsourcing like they did at UCT.”
He said the university used contracted workers for cleaning, security and catering.
Otto said Nehawu was working with student organisation Sasco and “elements” of the Student Representative Council.
“If they (Stellenbosch University) don’t act now there will be a lot of queries here. We know it will take time, but they will see that this outsourcing is not working. They are paying millions to sub-contracting companies for this outsourcing.”
Mark Rudolph, a student at the university, said he supported the rally and the workers’ struggle. “At the end of the day these are our mothers and fathers who work hard to gain us access to this university. They need to get what they deserve.”
Rudolph said by outsourcing, the university was avoiding accountability. “The workers helped us during the #FeesMustFall struggle and now we are helping them.”
Student Skhumbuzo Mazibuko said she was there to add to the numbers. “Their (workers) point of view matters the most. We are standing as proxies for their children who cannot be here.”
The memorandum was accepted and signed by Professor Tobie de Conning of the human resources department. He said management would make the outsourcing issue a priority and would communicate with unions urgently.
He said he would speak to the manager at the Langverwacht Landscaping about the dismissals.
“I will insist that you cannot be dismissed on the grounds of attending this rally.”
Cape Argus
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