Durban — Super Group Convenience (SG Convenience) employees on North Coast Road in Mount Edgecombe, are protesting, calling for a 15% salary increase and a better working environment.
About 600 employees across the country have been protesting since last Monday. The branches include Durban, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Nelspruit.
Mashudu Raphetha, the general secretary of the Dynamic People’s Union of South Africa (Dypusa) said that nothing has changed since last week and the employer is still not engaging with the protesting staff.
One employee, Mandisa Modise, who works as a debrief controller, said there has not been any change in the strike but there has been false accusations from the employer that they have become violent.
“We are still waiting outside to hear what the employer and the union have discussed.
“What we are upset about is that the employer has accused us of intimidating their staff and carrying sugarcane sticks as weapons.
“We have never done anything of that sort even as the operations have continued as normal. And they have also brought back nine employees who were part of the protest into the company,” she said.
She said there has also been a disciplinary hearing that has been called by the employers but the union, Dypusa, refused for the members to be disciplined while on strike.
A letter released by SG Convenience to the employees, states:
“Please take notice that you, in your capacity as an official of Dypusa, is hereby notified to attend a collective disciplinary hearing to be held on May 28 at 12h00 at SG Convenience Durban warehouse.
“You are further notified that the purpose of your attendance at the collective disciplinary inquiry is to make representations to Mark lewis on behalf of your members whose names are reflected in annexure ‘A’ attached hereto in explanation why the members of Dypusa should not be summarily dismissed for gross misconduct.
“The individual employees and Dypusa members reflected in annexure ‘A’ have been identified in video footage during strike action called by Dypusa acting collectively and or associating themselves with unlawful conduct, threatening behaviour making use of, but not limited, sticks and bricks, obstruction of road to and from premises.”
The Daily News has asked for comment in writing and is awaiting response from SG Convenience CEO Wayne Samson.
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