Livid unemployed protesters from surrounding areas of Laudium, berated a construction company operating in Laudium, accusing them of hiring foreign nationals instead of locals.
Chaos loomed last Thursday (Feb 1) around noon, when the protesters confronted the foreman and workers of Arbys Construction as they were busy laying pipes at the corner of Bengal Street and 43rd Avenue near the HS Ebrahim Centre. The protesters accused the company of hiring mainly Zimbabwean workers and wanted to know from the foreman as to why unemployed people from Itireleng and Atteridgeville were not hired. The centre security guard, Nqobile Ndlovu, confirmed that the protesters forced the hired foreign nationals to down their tools last.
Nqobile told the Laudium Sun “I think these locals believe that the company is employing foreign nationals in order to exploit them. The thing with foreign nationals is that they settle for the lowest wage rate, because they are desperate. In that way, they get the jobs that the local people also really need.” Throngs of angry people waited for the owner of the company after the foreman explained to them that he was just an ordinary worker and had nothing to do with the hiring of other workers. However, the owner did not appear, leaving the crowd to eventually disperse. A protester who asked not be named said, “They cannot just ignore us locals like this. We will not allow these foreigners to keep on taking our jobs,” he fumed.
Speaking to the Laudium Sun, Cllr Mahomed Essop said that he would be meeting with the contractor to attain reasoning behind the contractor's action, before addressing the issue.
When called by the Laudium Sun, the construction company refused to comment.
HS Ebrahim Centre security guard, Nqobile Ndlovu, said foreigners settled for less wages, taking away locals’ jobs.
A protester explaining his gripe to Councillor Mahomed Essop (centre) and Captain Kozisek of the Laudium Police.
Scene of the fracas: Workers and locals arguing at the site on the corner of Bengal St and 43rd Ave.