A coalition of unions representing security officers in North West province wants the provincial government to take action against more than 400 companies that are not complying with the sector’s Main Collective Agreement.
The unions, including AWU, KAWU, NUMSA, SANSAWF, SATAWU, and other groups staged a protest at the provincial government’s offices on Thursday. The protest forms part of the union’s ‘pay back the money’ campaign against companies they accuse of failing to adhere to a collective bargaining agreement to contribute towards a workers’ health benefits plan.
In March 2021, the National Bargaining Council for the Private Security Sector (NBCPSS) approved a health insurance benefits scheme for the sector following the signing of a collective bargaining agreement with employers and unions.
Affinity Health was later appointed as administrator for the health insurance benefits scheme. The benefits include chronic disease management and medication, doctor consultations, and hospital and casualty benefits, including an HIV and TB management programme.
In their memorandum unions accused the North West government of failing to act against hundreds of security companies operating in the province without registering their employees with the Private Security Sector Provident Fund (PSSPF) and the NBCPSS Health Insurance, managed by Affinity Health.
These companies, some of which have been contracted by the North West Provincial Treasury, have reportedly deducted millions of rands from employees’ salaries for benefits such as healthcare and provident funds without actually providing the services.
“The North West Provincial Treasury is complicit in this exploitation,” a statement issued by the unions stated. “They continue to outsource services to non-compliant security companies that have defrauded and exploited their workers, neglecting the basic tenets of the Main Collective Agreement and the laws of the Republic.”
The unions highlighted that the Treasury’s continued contracts with non-compliant security companies represent a significant breach of trust and legal obligation.
“By contracting these companies, the Treasury is effectively endorsing theft from the workers and violating the very laws that protect them.”
“We demand that the Treasury shows leadership by cutting ties with these fraudulent entities. It must also ensure that future contracts include strict compliance requirements with the NBCPSS,” said KAWU national coordinator Khumbulani Moyo.
One of the protesters, a security officer employed by Atamelang Security Services, shared his personal experience.
“They don’t pay us on time, which affects our debit orders. The government awarded them a two-year contract, yet they still hire people on fixed-term contracts. We will no longer tolerate Atamelang’s mistreatment of employees,” he said.
According to the statement, the Main Collective Agreement, as outlined by the NBCPSS, mandates that all employers in the private security sector register their employees with the PSSPF and NBCPSS Health Insurance and comply with specific salary structures and benefit payments.
Despite this, 478 security companies in the North West are allegedly operating in violation of these rules.
“We urge the North West Premier to follow the example of other state-owned entities and enforce compliance with the Main Collective Agreement a non-negotiable requirement for all security service contracts,” the unions said.
“This includes ensuring all prospective bidders are registered with the NBCPSS and have a good standing certificate. Failure to do so is a direct violation of workers’ rights and the law.”
The unions have given the North West Provincial Treasury seven days to respond to their demands.
“We are prepared to take our fight to the highest levels of government,” the statement emphasised. “We will petition President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the provincial department contract awarding.
According to the unions, the provident fund, healthcare, and basic income are not luxuries—they are essential for the dignity and productivity of our workers.
They assert that it is time for the North West Provincial Treasury to uphold the laws and protect the workers they rely on.
Tsietsi Mawelela accepted the memorandum on behalf of the government, saying it will receive the attention of the premier who will revert within the stipulated period set down by the unions.
The ‘pay-back-the-money’ campaign was launched in Johannesburg in February 2023. The unions have marched on the premises of companies and government offices in KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State and Gauteng as part of the campaign. – news@mukurukuru.co.za
