One of the Kara Nichha's branches in Durban.
Image: Chumani Mazwi
THE Labour and Civic Organisation (Laco) vowed to escalate protests against Kara Nichha’s restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal, citing serious allegations of labour violations and unsafe working conditions, as workers share accounts of alleged injuries and exploitation.
This comes amid reports that the Pietermaritzburg High Court granted an urgent interdict to KN Brand Properties CC, authorising police intervention against demonstrating Laco members, the MK Party and others accused of disrupting and intimidating the company’s businesses.
However, on Tuesday, Laco insisted that no official court order had been served on the organisation or protest leaders.
The protests, which began outside Kara Nichha’s operations in Pietermaritzburg, are now expected to spread to Durban branches as workers and activists continue raising concerns over alleged labour violations, workplace injuries and unsafe working conditions.
Laco KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Moeketsi Mahasela said they would continue with peaceful demonstrations until workers’ grievances were addressed.
“There will be a continuation of protests at the Kara Nichha’s warehouse and all restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal, following the failure by the company to address serious grievances raised by workers and the community,” said Mahasela.
“The action will escalate to Durban restaurants since the workers are facing the same problems as Pietermaritzburg employees.”
Laco claimed the demonstrations stemmed from long-standing allegations of unfair labour practices at Kara Nichha’s.
According to Laco, workers have raised concerns including unpaid leave benefits, unpaid overtime despite long working hours, inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), failure to compensate workers injured on duty, and poor working conditions.
Mahasela said workers were refusing to remain silent while businesses allegedly profit from exploitation.
“Laco maintains that workers cannot continue to suffer in silence while businesses continue generating profits through exploitation and abuse. The organisation remains committed to ensuring that affected workers receive justice, lawful treatment, and improved working conditions,” he said.
Mahasela also criticised reports published by another newspaper regarding the alleged interdict, insisting that Laco had not received any official legal documents.
“Laco further notes with concern the misleading claims published in a newspaper alleging that there is a court interdict against the protest action. As things stand, no court interdict has been formally served to Laco or protest leaders. In law, an alleged interdict that has not been properly served cannot simply be used as a tool to intimidate workers and suppress legitimate protest action,” he said.
The organisation has called on Kara Nichha’s management to engage directly with workers and protest leaders instead of relying on what it described as “media misinformation and intimidation tactics”.
“The protest action will continue peacefully until there is tangible commitment towards resolving the grievances raised by employees,” Mahasela added.
Laco has also urged labour authorities and government departments to investigate the conditions under which workers are employed at the company.
Meanwhile, videos and photographs circulating on social media appear to show workers speaking out about alleged workplace injuries and labour-related concerns.
Among the workers speaking out, was Qiniso Hlomela from Mzimkhulu, who works at a Kara Nichha’s branch in Pietermaritzburg.
Hlomela, who is represented by Mahasela (Laco), alleged that he suffered a serious hand injury while on duty, and he was not properly assisted by his employers.
“My fingers were broken at work. They did not pay me anything. Instead they decreased my workload and working hours, and I was ordered to come back to work while I was still in pain and still had stitches,” claimed Hlomela.
“In the end, they said they were not aware of my situation. I still feel pain. There are some things that I can no longer do like cooking and doing laundry. I cannot hold things with my right hand. I rely on my left hand.”
He said the injury continued to affect his daily life, particularly during cold weather.
“When it is cold, my hand becomes very painful. The employers are claiming that they were not aware that I got injured at work. This makes me feel really bad because they gave me a form, which they said I must take to my doctor to fill and sign. But now I am shocked that they claim to know nothing about my injury,” he added.
Mahasela said Hlomela’s case was not isolated, alleging that several workers suffered injuries without receiving compensation, while employed by the company.
“There are also employees who were burnt, but never compensated. One employee's feet were badly burnt. This person is still at home and in pain,” claimed Mahasela.
At the time of publication, Kara Nichha’s management had not responded to the latest allegations made by Laco.