The frictions within the workforce at Toyota Atlas Road in the Ekurhuleni region have escalated, as employees raise accusations against Nebula Logistics, the now rebranded arm of Barloworld, claiming unfair labour practices involving the mismanagement of their provident funds. This situation unfolds as the workers continue to navigate the complex landscape of outsourced labour within a car manufacturing giant.
In a bid to safeguard their identities, several employees have opted to remain anonymous, fearing repercussions in their positions. One vocal whistle blower highlighted ongoing concerns relating to the treatment of staff under the current employer, Nebula Logistics. Allegations of mishandling provident fund contributions, purportedly withheld by 3rd Force Direct—a labour brokering company linked to Nebula—have emerged as a particularly contentious issue.
“I am concerned about the manner in which Nebula Logistics Africa is treating their employees, especially regarding the Labour Relations Act and the Provident Funds Act,” said the employee. This grievance points to a troubling pattern noted by many. “Last year, employees faced dismissals under Barloworld for simply attempting to access their own provident funds, which had been contributed by 3rd Force Outsourcing JHB,” he reiterated.
The echoes of past discrimination allegations, nepotism, and exploitation at the Toyota Atlas Road plant have not faded. Reports in The Star have previously exposed a significant lack of transparency in how contractor employees, who have dedicated nearly 15 years of service, are treated.
The whistle blower alleges that Nebula has wrongly withheld funds that were rightfully meant for employees, creating a scenario where these contributions were shared among the involved companies without fair compensation to the workers.
“As employees, we joined a union in 2018 to contest these injustices, and we won that battle in 2022. However, Wessels Kruger, an executive at Nebula, has continuously ignored our rights,” the anonymous source declared. The situation has reportedly led to the dismissal of employees who dared to challenge these practices.
Speaking to the harsh realities faced by many employed under labour brokers, another employee expressed the frustrations of working without bonuses or incentives.
“There have been numerous changes since 2015. Although we work for Toyota, we receive our salaries from a labour broker instead of being integrated within Toyota as full employees,” they explained. “This has left us without access to benefits we rightfully deserve, such as provident funds, bonuses, and incentives, despite being the final line of support.”
Attempts to solicit comments from Nebula Logistics and Toyota remained unsuccessful prior to publication. In an earlier statement, group managing director Jacques Kruger clarified the contractual obligations between Nebula and Toyota.
“We have a contract in place with Toyota South Africa to provide logistics services. As one of several logistics service providers on site, we adhere to our contractual duties. Moreover, employees are not subjected to the deduction of transport allowances,” he noted. He further explained that all contractors, including Nebula, have access to the Toyota in-house clinic and other essential services on site.
The Star