Home | News | ANGRY EMPLOYEES VISIT ‘NGUBS’ HOME, DEMAND PAY

ANGRY EMPLOYEES VISIT ‘NGUBS’ HOME, DEMAND PAY

07/07/2022 08:56:00 Mthunzi Mdluli

Font size:

MBABANE – About 12 employees from well-known businessman Lucky ‘Ngubs’ Ngubane’s companies yesterday went to his residence at Makholokholo demanding payment of their two months salaries.

The employee also demanded the payment of their terminal benefits. They arrived at the businessman’s residence at around 7am, claiming that they were tired of the empty promises they were allegedly getting from Ngubane. The employees comprised security guards and cleaners. They work under 4Him Security Services and Lucky’s Ark Expert Cleaners. They alleged that Ngubane had failed to fulfill his promises regarding the payment of their salaries and terminal benefits as they were long overdue. They said it was for that reason that they had to come to his house to get their money.

When this reporter visited the businessman’s residence, the employees were found within the premises and no one was attending to them. They were allowed into the premises by a young man. They said they tried to communicate with Ngubane’s domestic helper, whom they found busy with her chores, to call Ngubane or his wife to ‘deliver their verbal petition’. However, they said they were told that neither the businessman nor his wife were around. At around 10am, the employees were heard shouting, saying they wanted to leave Ngubane’s residence since no one gave them the attention they were expecting.

Longer

They had to stay longer than they expected as no one opened the electric gate for them. They eventually left the residence about 30 minutes later and remained outside. 4Him Security Services guards lost their jobs at the end of May 31, 2022 after the University of Eswatini terminated the company’s contract. Their boss promised to pay their May and June salaries but to date they have not been paid. Soon after the termination the company’s contract, the employees were promised the payment of their terminal benefits which they are yet to received.
One of the 4Him Security Services guards said they tried on several occasions to engage Ngubane regarding the payment of their salaries but he allegedly gave them excuses such as that the university had not paid him. The man who looked frustrated said Ngubane was no longer taking their calls when contacted which, they said, annoyed them.

“We have been calling his number now and again but he is not willing to respond. We are tired. We want our money. We are sleeping on the streets as we were evicted by our landlords for non-payment of rent,” said a former security guard. Employees of Lucky’s Ark Expert Cleaners, who worked at UNESWA, said they had also come to the businessman’s residence to demand the payment of their salaries for the past two months. They stated that he told them that he had not received any money from the university. One of the cleaners said she would not go home unless they received their money.

“It has been over two months since we received our money. We are always doing our work but it seems Ngubane is taking us for granted. We have tried to make contact with him but he is not picking our calls. Where are we going to get money from to pay our rent? What about our children who are now at home as we cannot afford their transport fees?” she queried. Some of the cleaners alleged that the university had given Ngubane an ultimatum to pay all the employees, especially the cleaners tomorrow. They further stated that Ngubane’s failure to pay his employees would result in the termination of Lucky’s Ark Expert Cleaners’ contract.

Monitor

Four police officers came to Ngubane’s homestead to monitor the situation outside the gate. After introducing themselves, they said they had been sent by their commander to ask what they wanted from Ngubane’s homestead. One police officer said they had been sent to enquire about their issues. “We have been sent by the commander to ask what is going on.
“He (commander) promised to deliver your issues to him. We don’t want to see you outside his premises because he has a family. “Our duty is to offer protection to all,” said the officer. The employees all responded in one voice that they needed their money from Ngubane ,which he owed them for months. The officer then called Ngubane, who was put on loudspeaker, to address his employees concerning their money.

Through the conversation conducted on the phone, he promised to pay his employees this coming Friday. When they asked him where they would meet him, he said they should go to Lenhle building at Sidwashini. The employees shouted out in one voice and said he had no offices in the building he mentioned. He then asked them to go to Matsapha of which they complained about not having money for transport. “Let me start by apologising for the inconvenience. I promise that you will get your money on Friday this week,” said Ngubane. When the police officer asked him whether his employees would receive their outstanding money as well as terminal benefits for all those security guards who lost their jobs, he did not clearly state what would happen.

The police officers then requested the employees to go back home as the commander who sent them would take over the issue. The employees left Ngubane’s homestead but promised to return in case they did not receive their money as per Ngubane’s promise. Efforts to get comment from Ngubane were unsuccessful as his phone rang unanswered during the time of compiling this report.