Thabo Mohlala
House number 63, Shelley Road, Lombardy East, is owned by Transnet. It has a big yard, five rooms and two bathrooms. Since April Piet Mabotja*, a young security officer from Lebowakgomo in the Northern Province, has been standing guard around the clock for a pittance R20 a month. Four months later, Mabotja is still to be paid.
Mabotja works for WL Security Services, the company contracted to secure the property. He was initially posted at Doornfontein and later transferred to Boksburg before he was “dumped” at Lombardy East to guard the property.
Mabotja was not provided with any means of defending himself. He recalls an evening when he had to scare off intruders unarmed. “I was fortunate that the guys fled on noticing that someone was coming out to investigate.”
For the four months of his “employment” Mabotja had to rely on provisions donated by a neighbour, Margaret Epstein, who invited him for meals and allowed him to phone his family.
Mabotja’s attempts to get his promised salary from his employers drew a blank and Transnet was not very helpful.
When the Mail & Guardian contacted Transnet to enquire about Mabotja’s case, Transnet official Keenan Whittaker said the matter was being addressed.
Whittaker said he had contacted WL Security Services and the company has undertaken to pay Mabotja all his outstanding salary.
When the M&G telephoned WL Securities, it was told that the company had been liquidated and that people owed salaries must submit claims to the liquidators, the Bureau Trust.
Mabotja says that all he wants is the money that is owed to him, and that he does not want to have anything to do with the company again.
* Not his real name