Africa-Press – Eswatini. Not far from the Ministry of Labour’s headquarters, workers are subjected to unfair industrial practices.
It has been established that routine labour inspections have stopped, resulting in some owners of shopping outlets, mainly owned by Asian nationals, violating the Employment Act. Investigations unearthed that gazettes regulating conditions of employment for thousands of emaSwati are violated with impunity.
The gazette sets minimum wages for workers in all industries. With regard to the minimum wages for people working in urban shops, a shop assistant’s minimum salary is E2 164.96. A shop assistant’s salary in the rural areas is E1 768.99. A junior shop assistant’s salary in the urban area is E1 964.74, while that of an assistant in the rural areas has been fixed at E1 714.68.
Discovered
It has been discovered that the salary for a cashier is E2 467.94, while a merchandiser or promoter is supposed to receive a monthly pay of E2 164.96. The above salaries are paid at minimum; meaning they may be paid above but not below them.
However, many Asian shops were found to be paying monthly salaries ranging from E800 to E1 500. Anybody who is paid E1 500 is considered a dedicated and committed employee, who has served the employer for over five years. In short, they said, E1 500 was a salary for loyal employees. Asian nationals have also been allowed to operate their businesses in peri-urban and rural areas.
Slapped
In certain shopping establishments owned by the Asian, it is alleged that workers were not only slapped in the face for being perceived to being at a snails pace, in executing duties, but they were not paid on time. Impeccable sources said they were not paid early to have money to buy for Christmas and New Year’s festivities. Some women told Eswatini News that they were subjected to sexual abuses, long hours and further denied annual leave.
Sexual abuse, long hours, no leave and utter disrespect are just a few of what hundreds of desperate emaSwati, mainly women, allege they go through in some Asian nationals owned shops scattered across the country.
In Eswatini, many supermarkets are owned by Asian nationals from countries such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The businesses provide employment for thousands of emaSwati who, despite complaints that the salaries are meagre have no other option but to accept. Many of these shops sell household items at very affordable prices. In the past weeks, especially during the festive season, Eswatini News investigated concerns raised by some of the employees at these shops.
Concerns
The concerns varied from being underpaid, working without leave or other ill treatment, including alleged sexual abuse. This is despite that in most towns, Labour officials are housed in government structures, at a walking distance from these shops.
Journalists from Eswatini News spoke to some of the disgruntled employees from at least 15 shops in towns such as Mbabane, Ezulwini, Matsapha, Manzini, Buhleni, Nhlangano, Siteki and Siphofaneni. In fear of victimisation and losing their jobs they asked to remain anonymous. It was gathered that many emaSwati leave their homes and travel to other towns to seek employment at these places. One such person is *Nolwazi, who narrated her journey of over five years working at a shop owned by a Pakistan national.
Nolwazi, gave an account of labour violations within the industry. She expressed concern about how in the supermarket she was employed at, they worked long hours, starting from 7:30am to 7pm, yet their salaries usually did not include overtime. In her case, she said they were paid about E1 200 to E1 500. “The salary depends on what you agreed on with the employer when you were hired. As for myself I agreed on the E1 500 I was offered,” she said.
Overtime
She said the figure normally did not change even if one worked overtime. She said she was expected to work from 7:30am to 6pm sometimes up to 7pm.She was expected to arrive earlier than the starting time. They are not provided with transport and have to walk long distances from the bus stop to their houses.
She also revealed that she had worked in several similar supermarkets around the country and that it appeared the treatment was similar in most of these shops. Nolwazi added that many of the people who suffered the unfair labour practices were women, because it appeared they formed a majority of the workers. She said the shop owners took advantage of their desperation for employment to earn a living.
In the major towns, she alleged that it appeared as though the abuse was being tolerated, as many workers were of the view that Labour officials had a relationship with the shop owners.“Even if you report the incident to the Labour officials, they tend to trust the employer more than us,” she alleged.Asked how long she had worked in her current position and if Labour officers checked the premises often, Nolwazi responded to the negative.
“I have been here at the Pigg’s Peak store for seven years and I have seen a Labour inspector come here to inspect only three times, they come in here all smiles chatting to the bosses. They sit in the office, then come out and do shallow greetings and leave. What report can you give to someone who is friendly with the bosses?” she asked rhetorically.
Nolwazi further said the shop she worked for in Pigg’s Peak was within one and a half kilometres from the Labour Offices.
In another supermarket in Pigg’s Peak, some of the employees expressed concern over how their employers which are of Chinese origin communicated with them in public.
Shouting
An employee in one of the supermarkets owned by the Chinese national said it was concerning that they were ridiculed in public, as their bosses had developed a habit to disrespect them by shouting at them in front of customers.
“They do it in front of customers and this is embarrassing for us,” said *Nosipho. She said most of the employees were afraid of shouting back at their bosses.
She said any retaliation warranted instant dismissal, something they tried by all means to avoid.
Nosipho was asked what steps she had taken on the matter and if she had reported this to the local Labour officials.
Responding, she said she had not done anything in fear of victimisation.
She said some of the employees opted to report the labour abuse to the police, but nothing had been done by them.
In another incident, which allegedly happened at Buhleni, a woman working in a company owned by a Chinese national, alleged that she was slapped with an open hand across the face and subsequently fired. The human resource (HR) official from the company was contacted on the matter, but she refused to comment.
The woman later called this publication and revealed that she was rehired after the Times of Eswatini reporter had called.
Around Mankayane, workers at an Asian-owned company revealed how they worked throughout the year without taking leave.
They revealed that their employer only allowed them to take Sundays off, however, they had to sign for the day as part of their leave.
Also, they said they worked without uniforms, or safety tools even in unsafe environments like the bakery.
This publication also visited some shops in Pigg’s Peak where some employers alleged that they had previously reported concerns of being sexually abused.
*Joko, one of the employees said one of their employers, at a supermarket where she worked, would sometimes ask them to go to his house for cleaning, but he would then follow them around asking for sexual favours.
Superiors
Also, Joko said as employees, they had not agreed to being servants at their superiors homes as, they were not hired to be maids or housekeepers.
“How can we work in the shops and then end up working inside their houses as well?” asked an employee. Joko alleged that they were being used as maids, yet they were employed to work in the shops.
Speaking about the ordeals, many of the women expressed concern that Labour officials usually failed to handle the matters, but allegedly favoured the employer.
They also said many who reported the incidents ended up being dismissed.
While in Mbabane, barely three kilometres from the Ministry of Labour it was gathered in some Asian shops that employees are paid below the minimum wages but forced to sign for pay slips that show amounts that are higher than what they received as wages.
They said there is usually no proof of how much they were paid as the money was received in form of cash in envelopes.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
