The #EFF has shut down Pick n Pay at Silverton Crossing in protest of the retrenchment of some 51 employees.
Activists from the party’s Mamelodi sub-region led a shutdown of the store after management refused to even talk to them. The employees say they were informed verbally about a planned closure that the company said was to take place in less than a month with all of them laid off. They claim to have also been told Shoprite was to take over the store.
EFF activist Bongani Ramontja told the protesters that shutting down the store would force Pick n Pay to negotiate and vowed more stores could be closed if it refuses talk to them.
Ground forces, we will close this PnPay, and then tomorrow we will close PnPay in Equestria. While we are closing the one in Equestria, we will do our homework. If there’s another one (0 in Montana, we send the other ones to close Montana. We are here to show them we are not playing. Yes, if you exploit our people, we shall shut down your profit.
Because if you think you are here to exploit our people and gain profit, your profit, we shall close it.And when you close that cap of profit, it means now you will understand that our people are not monkeys, are human beings.Yes, you must give them what belongs to them. Yes, give Caesar what belongs to Caesar.So we are going to close this one up until the 17th. After the 17th, when Czechs come, (1:12) we don’t recognise Czechs. They must go find another place.
Up until they make this result (1:18) here. Then tomorrow, we are going to Equestria. We are going to close Equestria. And when we close Equestria, we are not closing it one day. We are very patient. We will close it up until they respond to us.
“And our customers, we respect and love you. And we know that, Lilina, you want (1:50) to see the employees here getting paid. So be patient with us and support us,” he said urging customers who had to turn back to support the employees and that the protest is not a boycott of Pick n Pay.
“We are not saying don’t buy here, but we are saying now support the employees because those who help you daily are not getting paid. They even smile at you. It’s a smile of depression. They don’t know what they’re going to eat tomorrow. So please, customers, support these people, support the employees, because they are always smiling at you. And that smile that they are giving you, it comes from their heart,” said Ramontja.
The EFF has been trying to talk to the company with no luck and said it demands transparency and fairness in support of the affected workers.
“We are here to get to understand why would you retrench people and give them 2 weeks notice because according to the law you must give them a notice of three months,” said
EFF MPL and Sub-Regional Coordinator for Region 5 which includes Mamelodi and Silvertondale, Noliqwa Senahla.
Senahla said even if Pick n Pay was to be able to justify the layoffs, the party wants them to not be ripped off.
“So we are here to make sure that they get their retrenchment packages and any other benefits they deserve to ensure that they are not being abused,” she said also arguing they ( 51 workers) deserved to be given first preference if a different supermarket is to takeover as claimed by management at the store.
“And also they say they’re going to open Checkers and we are saying that why don’t you give these particular employees first preference when you hire for the new shop,” said Senahla.
The party vowed to shutdown more Pick n Pay branches in nearby areas if management continued to refuse to talk to the affected employees.