The Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business has cautioned that protest action disrupting commercial activity could damage the local economy, after a labour group demonstration forced a supermarket to close early on Sunday.
Police were called to the scene after members of the Labour and Civic Organisation demanded a meeting with store management over alleged labour violations.
The group’s representative, Mthobisi Shinga, said several concerns had been raised by workers, including claims that many employees were foreign nationals and that the store was not complying with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
“If they’ve got more than 600 workers, a lot of them are foreigners. The shop is not in compliance with the basic conditions of the Employment Act, people are not getting paid according to the minimum wage and their needs are not being addressed. Management has been mistreating them,” Shinga said. “We had to try and sit down and resolve those matters.”
However, the Chamber of Business criticised the approach, arguing that such confrontations could create instability and deter investment.
CEO Melanie Veness said the province remains economically fragile, particularly in light of the lingering impact of the July 2021 unrest.
“It’s critical that we stamp this out quickly. The irony is that this kind of behaviour is likely to cost jobs, which is the very thing the organisation claims to be fighting for,” Veness said.
She added that labour disputes and issues related to foreign nationals should be handled through proper legal and regulatory channels, including the Department of Labour and the Department of Home Affairs.
Veness warned that public disruptions could undermine investor confidence.
“Investors look for opportunities in a stable and conducive environment. If businesses are being shut down through illegal action and nothing is done swiftly, it raises serious concerns about whether it’s safe to operate here,” she said.
Authorities have not indicated whether any further action will be taken following Sunday’s protest.