“We are not calling for them to lose their jobs, but rather to be transferred to another store.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Matatiele has intervened in an on-going labour dispute involving Boxer Superstores, where at least 37 employees including those who have been dismissed and others dissatisfied with their working conditions have raised concerns.
According to the party, it was approached by a group of affected workers who alleged unfair labour practices at the store. The EFF says it subsequently conducted its own investigation into the matter. The party alleges that its findings point to non-compliance with key labour legislation, including the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Among the issues highlighted by the EFF is alleged favouritism in the workplace, particularly affecting cashiers. “Another issue we have identified is the presence of favouritism. We found that when cashiers under-ring or over-ring customers, they are not treated the same, despite having committed the same mistake,” said the party’s labour Desk secretary Nthabeleng Mokhesi.
The EFF cited a specific incident to illustrate its claims. “For instance, there was a case where a cashier over-ringed a customer by R50. The cashier later realised the mistake and reported it to the relevant authorities. An admin official was then called to conduct a spot check,” explained Mokhesi. However, the EFF claims the process was not handled consistently. “When the customer later returned to collect the R50, instead of resolving the matter at the till, the customer was taken to the cash office and refunded from there, despite the matter having already been reported,” said Mokhesi.
The party further alleged that despite the cashier reporting the incident and a spot check being conducted, the employee was still charged. The party also raised concerns about inconsistencies in disciplinary action. “In some instances, employees are charged for these mistakes, while others are not, despite committing the same offence. There are employees who are repeatedly charged to the point where they accumulate warnings and ultimately face dismissal, while others are not subjected to the same process,” added Mokhesi.
In addition, the EFF claims there are irregularities in employment practices at the store. The party alleges that some employees have remained on temporary contracts for more than seven years, while others are appointed to permanent positions after only a few months. Following its investigation, the EFF alleges that store leadership is at the centre of the issues raised. “After conducting our own investigation, we found that the store manager and the admin are not acting in the best interests of employees and are failing to uphold fair labour practices,” the party said.
The EFF has since escalated the matter to higher management within Boxer. “We have contacted regional management so that the matter can be addressed at that level,” the party added. The party says it will formally submit its demands, which include the reinstatement of dismissed workers. “We are demanding that all employees who were unfairly dismissed be reinstated,” the EFF stated. It is also calling for changes in the store’s leadership. “We are requesting that the admin and the store manager be removed from this store, as we believe they are central to the problem,” said Mokhesi.
However, the EFF emphasised that it is not calling for their dismissal. “Despite what we believe to be inhumane treatment, we are not calling for them to lose their jobs, but rather to be transferred to another store,” concluded Mokhesi.
Boxer Superstores had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
