CONSTRUCTION workers at Polihali Dam downed tools yesterday in protest over poor pay and working conditions. Over 1 000 workers were also demanding that their contracts be extended from the current one year to five years. The workers are from the SUNJV, a joint venture between Sinohydro Bureau 8 Company Ltd, Sinohydro Bureau 14 Company Ltd, Unik Civil Engineering (Pty) Ltd, and Nthane Brothers (Pty) Ltd.
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The joint venture is the contractor of Construction of Polihali Dam and Appurtenant Works at the Lesotho Highlands Water Project – Phase II.
A trade unionist from Construction, Quarry, and Mining Union (CMQ), Robert Mokhahlane, said the strike might have a serious delay on the project.
Work at the dam began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2027.
The striking workers say the M16 per hour wage was too low, given the high cost of living. They want their hourly wage bumped to M20 per hour. They work nine hours a day.
That means on average, a worker could be earning M144 per day which translates to M3 600 per month if they work for 25 days.
If the employer agrees to increase their wage to M20 per hour, that could take their salaries to M4 500 per month.
The workers refused to enter the premises of the project yesterday and started singing struggle songs outside the gates in protest.
Mokhahlane said they started negotiations with the project management on improving the workers’ lives “but no one listened, now they have stopped working”.
He said the workers there “get a small wage yet they are working for a joint project between two countries”.
“We were expecting to get salaries that can help workers earn a decent living,” Mokhahlane said.
He also said despite the presence of heavily armed police the workers still refused to go to work.
One of the welders at the project, Lebajoa Sekoati, complained that he has two children and a wife who he has to support.
“How can 16 rand help four people to live for a month?” Sekoati said.
He said all they want is a salary increase and for their contracts to be extended so that they have job security.
“They often refuse to extend people’s contracts and let them go without giving them notice,” he said.
He complained that the catering companies hired by the project are cheating them, by claiming to be feeding them three meals that cost M50 per meal.
“We get four slices of bread alone for breakfast. That is unacceptable, it must stop.”
He also complained that some employees with the same qualifications as his get higher salaries.
He holds a welding certificate.
“They are paid more just because they are holding South African IDs. We need salaries equal to theirs,” he said.
Gerard Mokone, the Manager at Polihali Operations for the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), said he was “aware of the ongoing strike by the workers across the board”.
“We are trying to sort it out through negotiations,” Mokone said.
He admitted that the workers “have been complaining for a long time about different issues including food”.
“But, now we see light at the end of the tunnel, especially on the issues of food as we have dealt with it,” he said.
He said they have built facilities that would be used as a kitchen for the workers and ensured that the catering companies comply with all their agreements.
“I visited the kitchen yesterday. Soon the unions and workers will take a tour and see that we are fixing (the issues),” he said.
On the issue of contracts, Mokone said the project will come to an end in 2027.
“Their five-year contract suggestion will not work,” he said, adding that “it would mean they would leave in 2029”.
He said the workers are currently earning more than what the Labour Code stipulates, as it says a worker should be paid M14 per hour.
“The contractor tells me that he offers them 10 percent on top of M14.”
Nkheli Liphoto
