LFC Milling Company’s striking workers vow to return to work

The National Emancipated and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (NEAWUSA) says LFC Milling Company workers in Wesselsbron are living in a dire state, while the fight for them to return to work continues.

It says while workers across the country will be celebrating worker’s rights on May Day tomorrow, the workers of LFC Milling who have been on strike since 2021 continue to suffer.

Their grievances include racism, inequality and salary increases.

They say they’ve marched several times and handed their grievances to management, to no avail.

NEAWUSA General Secretary Tsiliso Lenepa says the employer has been sending them from pillar to post.

“Otherwise, they are living with hopes that the problem of the strike will be resolved. We have tried from our side as the union that we use Section 150 as of the labour relations act to apply for assistance from CCMA.”

One of the striking workers, Nzimene Matyalana says life is now very difficult as his family is now forced to live off the children’s social grants.

“It is difficult at home, we no longer know if we are the men of the house, it is very difficult, even our wives are now thinking that it’s the union that is failing us whereas the employer is the one who is failing us while we are fighting for our rights. Now we depend on the children’s grant and there are no job opportunities.”

NEAWUSA members embark on a protest march against employer, LFC Milling Company: