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- Julius Malema and the newly launched EFF Labor Desk jumped into action with a visit to the Pharmacy Direct offices on Wednesday.
- The EFF wanted it to pay its workers the outstanding amounts from the Temporary Employer Assistance Plan (TERS).
- Malema asked the companies, which have claimed the FIU for their employees, to pay the workers what they are owed immediately.
EFF’s newly launched work bureau sprang into action with a visit to Pharmacy Direct offices on Wednesday.
The party, headed by its president Julius Malema, went to the company to demand that it pay the workers the outstanding money from the Temporary Assistance Program for Employers (TERS).
TERS is part of a government relief fund initiated through the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
Malema and her entourage, which included EFF Labor Desk’s Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, met with Pharmacy Direct CEO Gavie Erasmus.
“When meeting with the EFF, the CEO unreservedly apologized to the workers for his attitude and behavior towards them, which was captured on video.
“The EFF and Pharmacy Direct, with the Pharmacy Direct workers, amicably agreed that the money paid by TERS should be returned by Pharmacy Direct to the Department of Employment and Labor.
Also, that employees whose identity numbers were used to claim the TERS money must be duly accredited. This agreement was reached in accordance with the directive established below by the Minister of Employment and Labor. [Thulas Nxesi]”Malema said.
He added that individual workers, who were affected by the pandemic, would claim their money and the company would help them claim it.
Malema said the EFF, Pharmacy Direct and workers have put the issue aside.
Erasmus said that when the TERS funding was announced, Pharmacy Direct had requested assistance in maintaining its operational integrity.
“As the company was seen as an essential service, delivering chronic medication to hundreds of thousands of South Africans on a monthly basis, maintaining operational integrity was expected to put the company in financial straits given the restrictions applied by the national shutdown and the need transportation of employees and significantly increased health and safety measures.
“By doing so, Pharmacy Direct was able to continue to pay its staff full salaries and operate with maximum efficiency to ensure that the health and well-being of its customer base was maintained during these unprecedented and uncertain times,” he added.
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“The company did this with the financial security of the employees in mind. Although the employees received their full salary, they were under the impression that the TERS funds would also be paid to them in addition to their salaries,” Erasmus said.
Meanwhile, Malema warned the company that EFF MPs would return for a visit on other issues raised by the workers.
“We reiterate our call to all companies that have claimed the FIU so that their employees pay the workers what they are owed immediately.
In addition, we call on all workers throughout the country to contact the EFF to alert us to companies that have not paid the FIU, and we will pay them a special warm visit ”, he warned.
