GroundUp reports that about 80 Shoprite truck drivers protested outside the retailer’s distribution centre in Brackenfell, Cape Town on Thursday.

The workers, affiliated to the Shosholoza Workers Union of SA (Showusa), were demanding that the company should give all drivers a fixed basic salary and transport allowance. Shop steward Siyabulela Njuku explained that drivers were paid per hour and had to work 195-hours per month to get a basic salary. He claimed drivers were forced to work overtime to compensate for hours lost while they were on leave or sick. “We want a secured basic income that we must get monthly,” he said. Njulu indicated that truck drivers also wanted Shoprite to get them transport when they worked overtime or at night. Zanekhaya Plati said they also wanted the company to introduce a fingerprint system to ensure that their working hours were logged accurately, and therefore would be paid accordingly. According to another shop steward, Simthandile Qonya, the truck drivers have been picketing intermittently outside the distribution center since Monday. “We met the bosses in July and August to discuss our demands and grievances, but they raised objections. In August we took our issues to CCMA for conciliation and arbitration, but the matter has not been resolved yet,” he stated.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Vincent Lali at GroundUp

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