The DA in Mpumalanga has learned with shock that there are groups of ANC and EFF Forums operating around KwaZamokuhle Township in Hendrina – where they allegedly charge job seekers between R1000 to R5000 for job opportunities in the near-by mines and Power Stations.
Job seekers around Hendrina have been left destitute and desperate since the Gupta owned Optimum Coal Mine was forced to close in 2018.
Majority of the people who live in Hendrina and surrounding areas depended one way or the other on a functional Optimum Mine, that is until Jacob Zuma’s ANC and the Guptas took over and brought the mine to its knees – leaving thousands of people without jobs and livelihoods.
According to an insider who spoke to the DA, there are about seven (7) different Forums from the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) operating in KwaZamokuhle and surrounding areas. They allegedly charge desperate job seekers of Hendrina up to R5000 to include their names on the Database of the 10 nearby coal mines and in the two power stations of Hendrina and Arnot.
The Forums have been identified as follows:
• Siyasebenza Forum (owned by an ANC Ward Councillor from Ward 1.
• Sakhisizwe Forum (ANC)
• Siyanqoba Forum (ANC)
• President Wabantu Forum (ANC)
• Gomora Forum (EFF)
• Vukani Forum (EFF)
• CBI Hendrina Forum (ANC)
The DA has been told that the ANC/EFF Forums Job seekers are charging these job seekers for jobs depending on their job skills, drivers’ licences and qualifications.
The DA was also told that the Forums charge R500 to R1000 for general or administration work opportunity; R2000 for a job opportunity if you have a drivers licence for the Yellow Plant Vehicles; R3000 to get a job as an Artisan; and up to R5000 if you have an Engineering qualification.
Their modus operandi is to go to the power stations and mines intimidating management to employ only the people whose names will be submitted by the Forums only, not anyone else. It has been said that management of the mines and power stations are afraid of the Forums to the point that they don’t accept any CVs from anyone whose name was not brought forward by the forums. Basically, job seekers of Hendrina are forced to pay money to the Forums before they have any opportunity of getting a job.
Some of the job seekers who have paid the Forums, have told the DA that when job opportunities have been made available, the Forums give those jobs to family members, girlfriends/boyfriends and friends before anyone else is considered.
The DA strongly condemns any practice of selling of jobs for cash as it is in violation of the Employment Equity Act of 1998 and Section 195(1)(i) of the South African Constitution.
The DA will, therefore, be writing to the Public Protector to request her office to investigate these allegations of ‘Jobs For Cash’ against these ANC and EFF Forums in Hendrina. Our people are jobless because of the mess created by the very same ANC and the Guptas in Hendrina.