Founder and National chairperson of Soil of Africa Bongani Ramontja photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Soil of Africa civic movement held a mini rally at the Shomishanang Primary School in Mamelodi East to address issues affecting workers at their respective work places.
According to the movement’s founder and national Chairperson Bongani Ramontja, Soil of Africa has found it disturbing that many people in South Africa, including those living in Mamelodi, have been unfairly dismissed from work, others are paid low salaries and have not been registered for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Provident Fund even though they have been working for their employers for more than fifteen years in some instances.
“That’s why we took it upon ourselves to make 1 May Workers Day a special day for them by addressing the aforesaid issues and get them to know what is happening at their work spaces and we as Soil of Africa shall make sure that we provide the necessary support and information to make sure that our people get proper wages and don’t get dismissed unfairly and unprocedurally via WhatsApp in some cases,” said Ramontja.
Some of the working class and youth at Soil of Africa mini rally in Mamelodi east
“Soil of Africa is a radical movement and not a political party and we do advocacy work at grassroots level and we are not affiliated to any political party but we work hand-in-hand with parents and the community at large but any political party that believes in our ideology and service delivery to our black is most welcome to work with us,” he said.
Ramontja explained that the organisation also has a youth department which has a six-month skills programme which will cater for 200 kids in Mamelodi who will do N2 level 4 course starting from the 1st of June with a stipend of R2000.
“We are also still fighting for the issue of relocation for the people of Pienaarspoort Extension 15 as well as those staying in backrooms but are registered in the City of Tshwane housing waiting list via what is known as Form C,” explained Ramontja.
Some of the working class and youth at Soil of Africa mini rally in Mamelodi east
“We have also helped a resident of Phase 3 whose ten holes of the sewerage system were blocked and we shall make sure that the City of Tshwane Municipality delivers services to the people as expected,” said Ramontja.
“We shall work with Councillors on the ground but those who don’t want to work with us shall see that we work with the people and are not interested in relationships and friendships but are interested in principles which will guide all of us to work together,” he said.
Ramontja also urged employed people to remember that they are bugger than the companies that have employed them; that they are valuable; must take themselves seriously; must make a commitment to themselves before they commit themselves to anyone; must take their jobs seriously as employment is very scarce and must immediately call us as Soil of Africa to their work places each time there is something unfair happening so that we can deal with the issue of the employer who may happen to be oppressing them because we want a fair labour relations process at every work place,” said Ramontja.
Members of the community who were in attendance at the rally were given an opportunity to engage on a one-on-one basis with leaders from the national structures of Soil of Africa so as to get clarity regarding issues that they face regularly at their work places.
“I’m so happy with the message from Soil of Africa and I believe this movement is here to save us,” said Easter Kwena.
“Soil of Africa is here to rescue the working class and I believe it will unlike union, people spend money on unions but no results,” said Freddy Matlala.
SoftLife Entertainment provided the much-needed entertainment to the workers who were in attendance at the Soil of Africa 1 May 2925 mini rally.