On Friday, EFF national spokesperson, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, led the march in solidarity with outsourced workers, who are demanding insourcing, decent wages and the right treatment from the employers, which Numsa alleges are ill-treating employees.

Ndlozi says the EFF is fully behind the workers and urged them to stop being afraid and come to the picketing lines.

OFM News previously reported that at least 2 000 permanent employees and contract workers are on strike at the company, demanding that the company insource workers.

ArcelorMittal’s Tracey Peterson previously told OFM News that the steel company has strict processes in place to ensure that its service providers treat their employees in accordance with relevant labour legislation, as well as any other applicable legislation or specific bargaining council determinations.

EFF Regional Chairperson of Sedibeng, Isaac Khithika, handed over a memorandum to ArcelorMittal SA and gave the company 48 hours to respond to their demands.

Meanwhile, Numsa earlier this month handed over a memorandum of demands to the United Kingdom’s embassy in Pretoria to highlight what it calls the alleged abuse and exploitation of workers at a steel company.

Numsa spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, said they want the UK ambassador to engage with the management of the steel company.

These are, however, the allegations the company recently denied in a media statement, saying despite the fact that Numsa has not followed the provisions of the Recognition Agreement before bringing this demand to the company.

The company says they have tried to engage with Numsa on several occasions.

OFM News