EMPANGENI - Residents from the King Cetshwayo District Municipality protested in front of the newly built Buthelezi Mall on Wednesday.
What was meant to be an auspicious gathering with the COGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, Premier Thami Ntuli, and uMhlatuze Local Municipality mayor Xolani Ngwezi to unveil the mall named after IFP stalwart, Mangosuthu Buthelezi. Turned out to be an opportunity for residents to voice their frustrations.
Labour and Civic Organisation's (LACO) Fannie Ngcobo said community members are not happy with the alleged hiring practices at the mall.
Residents feel sidelined during the hiring process of the mall, which is supposed to bring economic development to the area. They came to the opening with CVs in hand.
The mall is believed to be able to hire over 2,000 people. Out of 140 stores, the organisation said, about 10 percent of the people hired are from the uMhlathuze Municipality and surrounding areas within the King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
Others are allegedly from further areas like Newcastle and Johannesburg.
"We understand that there should be office managers and admin," said Ngcobo.
"We demand that 70 percent of employment should be from King Cetshwayo and 30 percent can be from elsewhere," he adds.
Ngcobo estimated that there were about 700 people present at the gathering, and that they could have all been employed for basic jobs like packing and working at tills.
"That is a basic skill, you cannot take someone from far for that," he said.
LACO also accused Ngwezi of interfering in the hiring process, with CVs for preferred candidates coming from his office.
"We know why he did that, it is because elections are approaching," said Ngcobo.
According to Ngcobo, only Boxer Superstores could not be influenced, and hired local people.