Dear Honourable Mogale,
I greet you respectfully as a concerned citizen, worker, and supporter of the Economic Freedom Fighters. My name is Gift Namanyane, and I am writing to you with humility and urgency regarding serious issues at my workplace that affect myself, my colleagues, and our community.
Firstly, the conditions under which we work are deeply unfair and not in line with South African labour laws. Many employees are not registered and are paid in cash by hand every Sunday, with no official records. We do not have contracts, and therefore we do not know our hourly rates or our full entitlements. We are short-staffed, working extremely hard, but are only granted one day off per week. To make matters worse, the majority of employees are foreign nationals, many of whom do not have proper permits, while South Africans remain the minority in the workplace. This is not just a matter of unfairness but also of non-compliance with the laws of the Republic.
Secondly, a very painful matter has recently taken place. On Tuesday, three of my colleagues, one of whom is my uncle, were caught in possession of stolen goods from the shop where we work. It is true that theft is a crime and against the Constitution of South Africa, and the law must be respected. However, they were immediately taken to Kgosi Mampuru Prison without due process being properly observed. As I write this letter, they remain there, awaiting their fate.
Honourable Member, this situation reveals a double standard. For years, the employer has ignored the rights of workers, operating outside the law with impunity. None of those laws were enforced to protect us. Yet when workers made this grave mistake, the full force of the law was immediately brought down upon them. Justice cannot only be applied one way — to punish workers — while employers continue to disregard labour rights without consequences.
I know very well the Constitution of the Economic Freedom Fighters under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief Julius Sello Malema, who once said: “We do not only fight for votes. Even if you do not vote for us, when you face exploitation at work, you can call on us, and we will be there.” These words remind me that the EFF stands as the only political movement in South Africa that has consistently defended the dignity and rights of black workers, the poor, and the marginalised.
Honourable Mogale, I therefore plead with you to use everything in your power — as a Member of Parliament and as a Fighter — to assist us in this matter. We ask for:
An intervention into the unfair labour practices taking place at our workplace.
A fair process for the three detained workers, so that while their mistake is acknowledged, they are not denied the same rights that employers have been ignoring for years.
A commitment to ensuring that South African citizens are not undermined in their own country, while also ensuring that the employment of foreign nationals complies with the law.
This letter is not written for sympathy but as a genuine plea for justice and intervention. I remain loyal to the EFF, not only as a voter but as someone who believes in its mission to protect workers and fight for economic freedom in our lifetime.
Thank you for your time and for considering this request. I trust that, as always, you will act in the best interests of workers and the poor.