Times Of Swaziland: PRINT COMPANY DIRECTOR  ACCUSED OF BEING RACIST

PRINT COMPANY DIRECTOR  ACCUSED OF BEING RACIST
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BY PHEPHILE MOTAU on 25/10/2017 09:24:00


MBABANE –  “I will run this place like a prison.”
These words were allegedly said by one of the directors of a printing company to
employees. The director’s name is known to this publication but he will not be
named for now as the matter is still under investigation. In a letter by the
Swaziland Commercial and Allied Workers Union(SCAWU), which represents the
employees, to the Commissioner of Labour, it was alleged that the director was
racist and even once referred to an employee as a racist pig. In their letter,
which was signed by the Secretary General Reuben Ndlangamandla, SCAWU alleged
that the director was a typical bully and was anti union. “He harasses and
victimises union members for exercising their right of belonging to the
union,” the letter states.
The union alleged that the director uses the ‘f-word’ like it is his
personal anthem. They alleged that each time there was a disagreement with the
union, he lashed out at the employees and victimised them. This, they alleged,
he does in front of union officials to prove a point. “His careless outbursts
have caused the employees great fear and discomfort,” the union said. The
director allegedly makes draconian laws and expects compliance from the staff.
Ndlangamandla alleged that during negotiations, they saw the worst of the
director. It was alleged that during the recent negotiations, he charged towards
a female union official as though he wanted to assault her. Ndlangamandla said
there was a litany of complaints against the director such that they could not
reduce all of them to paper, but a thorough investigation would uncover a lot.
“His methods and attitude leave a lot to be desired,” Ndlangamandla said.
Victimisation
The employees have also petitioned the commissioner to investigate the alleged
victimisation, harassment, intimidation and racial insults by the director. The
petition dated August 16 was signed by a total of 41 employees. The employees
alleged that they felt like they worked under pressure because they feared that
the director could do anything to them. They alleged that the director shouted
at them and pointed at them in their faces in front of customers. They felt like
he was already running the organisation like a prison. They alleged that during
negotiations, the director did not want their shop stewards to negotiate and he
also allegedly blamed them for theft in the company by a former manager. The
employees alleged that the director said they were supposed to report the
thieving manager yet he protected him when they laid complaints against him.
“His response was that we were saying this because we didn’t like that
manager and he also told us that as a staff, we won’t get any increment
because of what the manager did (sic),” the employees alleged.
They also alleged that the theft issue was not addressed properly as no proper
action was taken. The employees alleged that the director advised the manager to
leave the country before any action was taken against him. The petition further
alleges that the manager insulted a female union official and said she was
talking rubbish and pointed at her in the face.