Outraged Women Minister Calls for Shoprite to Drop Charges Against Female Workers

Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women, Susan Shabangu, says she is “shocked and disgusted” at the alleged “inhumane” acts meted out by Shoprite towards seven female employees.

The incident took place at Shoprite’s Pelican Park branch in Cape Town. It is alleged that the seven women, one of them pregnant, were handcuffed and “exhibited” for hours… before being taken to the police after they were discovered to have been accepting tips from appreciative customers who knew they didn’t earn a lot.

The Department of Women said the women earn an average of R20 an hour, and are ranked amongst the lowest paid workers in the economy.

“Ironically, the charges against them are for receiving and accepting tips from customers who have demonstrated appreciation for their services.”

Minister Shabangu has called on the management of Shoprite to drop the charges against the seven women. According to media reports, the women say they were given permission by the store’s controller to accept gratuities. However, the controller now refutes this.

“This form of violence perpetrated upon the beings of the victims is not only unconstitutional, but it also resembles the brand of power and control that reproduces racist, classist and gendered forms of violence,” said the Minister.

“Since the dawn of democracy, our nation is at work to build a non-racist, non-sexist society and thus rejects action that is contrary to these constitutional aspirations.”

The Minister said this form of violence undermines the sacrifices of the women of 1956, who risked their very beings so that women should never have to suffer indignity.

“Our role as a society, if we are sincerely interested in transforming our nation, is to identify violence in all its forms, to call it out, and to make proposals for change that are based on the root causes of problems,” Minister Shabangu said.

The incident took place as Women’s Month draws to a close, and at a time when South Africa is working to address the high rates of violence against women.

“Any form of violence against women, be it physical, emotional and financially, is not acceptable and has no place in our democratic country. On top of that, these women have families yet Shoprite continues to exploit them by paying them slave wages of R2 400 a month,” the Minister said.

She called on Shoprite to exercise urgency in expunging the criminal records of those who have been found guilty. – SAnews.gov.za