Today's Labour News

GroundUp reports that unemployed and desperate people have taken to sitting outside the gates of Wireforce in Germiston hoping for a job.  

Wireforce, a manufacturer of wire and wire products, has become a job-seekers hotspot, but the company has not asked, encouraged or promised the work seekers anything and it has its own hiring practices in place.  Nonetheless, people sit and wait outside the premises from as early as 6am daily, hoping for an opportunity.  The people GroundUp spoke to had lost their livelihoods due to the Covid-19 pandemic or had failed to access unemployment benefits.  Some said the Covid grant was too small.  Tired of sitting at home, they came to Wireforce, with their CVs, certificates or driver’s licences in hand, prepared to take any job.  Bonisile Khuzwayo, a mother of two from Ramaphosa informal settlement, explained:  “One day is one day.  Surely one of these big companies has enough space to give me just a job as a general hand.”  Also waiting was Pretty Masiya who has been looking for a job ever since she received her project management diploma eight years ago.  A group of men with code 10 or 14 driver licences was also waiting.  Wireforce HR manager Alsie Hoole said:  “There are normally 30 or 40 people standing outside hoping that they can be called to fill up a position, but it can’t simply work like that. Our company is large, offers learnerships and has many initiatives to upgrade employees once they are inside which is why people look at the possibility of employment with us. If we could employ everyone we would, but it’s not possible.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Kimberly Mutandiro at GroundUp <https://www.groundup.org.za/article/desperate-and-unemployed-wait-vain-company-gates/>

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