By Charmaine Ndlela
Twenty-four workers at Festive Chicken, an Astral Foods subsidiary, were hospitalised following an ammonia leak at its Olifantsfontein facility in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, as more than 1,000 employees continued their strike over wages, permanent employment and working conditions.
The incident reportedly forced dozens of workers to flee the poultry processing facility, with several collapsing and others being carried out on stretchers for medical attention.
More than 1,000 employees have been on a protected strike for nearly two weeks, demanding a monthly salary of R13,500, medical aid benefits, permanent employment and improved workplace conditions.
The ammonia leak has heightened concerns about occupational safety, with workers alleging that management has failed to provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), despite their exposure to chemicals and dust during their shifts.
Thato Sithole, who has worked at Festive Chicken for 12 years, told Inside Politics that employees had repeatedly tried to engage management over their grievances, particularly wage increases and working conditions, but their efforts had been unsuccessful.
“We engaged with the company to talk about our demands, especially the wage increase and working on Saturdays and Sundays for normal hours, but the company refused to sit down with us, even though we tried multiple times,” Sithole said.
“We even went to the CCMA to try to resolve the matter, but the company still insisted on its position until the CCMA issued us with a strike certificate.”
Workers have also raised concerns about their treatment by management and the alleged lack of appropriate protective equipment.They claim they are exposed to chemicals and dust without sufficient protection and are expected to work in cold rooms without adequate protective clothing to withstand extremely low temperatures.
Sithole said workers had become frustrated after repeated attempts to negotiate with the company, prompting them to demand a wage adjustment to R13,500 a month.
“We wanted to negotiate with the company over that, but they did not take us seriously. We then started demanding a wage adjustment of R13,500 to show them how serious we are,” he said.
“It has been 14 days of striking. It seems they would rather lose billions than give us a million.”
The workers have vowed to continue their industrial action until management addresses their demands.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) has thrown its weight behind the striking employees, expressing solidarity with workers who have embarked on an indefinite protected strike in Gauteng and Mpumalanga over wages and working conditions.
The party also condemned what it described as intimidation of workers and threats of disciplinary action by management.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Gauteng said it was deeply concerned by the ammonia gas leak at the Olifantsfontein facility, which left 24 workers hospitalised.
COSATU expressed solidarity with the affected employees and called for a fair wage settlement, supporting their demands for improved remuneration and working conditions.
Festive Chicken is part of Astral Foods, one of South Africa’s largest poultry producers. The group supplies chicken products to major food brands, including KFC, Nando’s, Spur and Hungry Lion.
When approached for comment, Astral Foods Limited declined to comment.
