WATCH | Chicken factory workers cry foul over salaries, lack of PPE and permanent jobs

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Opens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowOpens in new windowEnter fullscreen mode displaying this image.ExpandOutside Festive Chicken Factory in Clayville, where employees have been protesting for two weeks. Picture: Michelle Banda. Story audio is generated using AI

More than 1,100 Festive Chicken workers, who have been on strike for nearly two weeks, have vowed to continue with their protest, demanding better salaries, adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and permanent positions.

They are demanding a salary increase to R13,500 a month. Many earn between R4,500 and R5,000 a month.

Festive Chicken is a division of Astral Foods, a major poultry producer whose brands include Goldi and County Fair.

WATCH | More than 1,000 workers at Festive Chicken, an Astral Foods subsidiary, have taken to the streets outside the company’s Olifantsfontein headquarters since October 29, demanding a salary increase to R13,500 and better working conditions. The protest continues as workers… pic.twitter.com/SkhejpOlYr

The company employs just over 1,000 employees in a factory in Olifantsfontein and on farms on the West Rand and in Delmas. They downed tools on October 29 because of their grievances.

They allege that the company has not engaged meaningfully with them over their demands. Instead, they accuse management of attempting to stop the strike through letters and messages warning employees against protesting and threatening them with disciplinary action and dismissal.

The threats prompted the employees to approach the labour court on October 30. The court gave them the green light to protest and indicted the company from taking action against striking workers.

“It is declared that all of the employees are entitled to participate in the protected strike action which began on Thursday, 29 October 2026,” the order read. “The employer is interdicted and restrained from initiating disciplinary action against and/or dismissing any of its employees for participating in the aforementioned protected strike.”

Astral Foods submitted a counter application to the court, which was argued on November 6.

Sam Szoke-Burke, a legal representative from Lawyers for Human Rights, representing the workers, said they were awaiting a judgment on jurisdiction.

WATCH | Benjamin Mailula, who has worked at Festive Chicken for almost 23 years, says employees work 10-hour days processing more than 700,000 chickens that are distributed to various franchises. Despite this, he says they earn the bare minimum, which does not reflect the amount… pic.twitter.com/1JoCQ232MS

Sowetan visited the company’s premises on Monday, where employees were protesting.

Benjamin Mailula, who has worked for the company for almost 23 years, said employees work 10-hour shifts processing and loading thousands of chickens for distribution.

“We load more than 700,000 chickens into 90 trucks in one shift. The basic salary of R13,500 we are demanding is deserved because currently the earnings are the bare minimum and not equivalent to the amount of work or the hours we put in,” he said.

Another employee, Rotshidzwa Mathomo, said a lack of adequate PPE was particularly concerning for workers assigned to cold-storage facilities.

“The freezers are extremely cold, and without PPE you can’t even spend an hour inside. We now have to make our own plans to stay warm,” she said.

WATCH | Rotshidwa Mathomo speaks on how working inside freezers without necessary PPE affects her as a woman.Video: Michelle Banda pic.twitter.com/DMphcEtLND

Mathomo said some women — particularly those menstruating or recovering from operations — experienced additional discomfort when exposed to the cold.

Thandiwe Luthuli, who has worked for the company since 2019, alleged that employees injured on duty were told that the incidents were their fault.

She recounted injuring her hand at work and said she was not paid for a month while she recovered at home.

Sowetan sent a request to the company on Monday morning asking it to comment on the workers’ allegations but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Mzokhona Luvuno, who said he had worked for Festive Chicken since 2019, said he remained classified as a casual worker despite years of service.

“Back at home, they believe I am working, and I am, but I have nothing to show for it. I have children and a family. Sometimes there are issues when we sign in for work; it’s not captured, and that money is deducted from the already inadequate salary of a casual worker,” he said.

Another employee, Koena Seromola, said instead of addressing employees’ concerns, the company had brought in workers from other branches.

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