For more than a decade, Bonangani Patricia Sithole has reported for duty as a patrol guard for Mafoko Security, where her R6,000 salary provides for over 10 relatives who are solely dependent on her.
However, the 36-year-old said her tenure at the company has been one of delayed payments, debts and financial uncertainty.
Sithole is among several Mafoko Security patrol guards who claim they have not been paid for two months. The workers told Sowetan that though they were told that their contracts would end on December 31, they were still scheduled to report for duty from January 1 and have been going to work since.
The guards are stationed at various public facilities, including the Gauteng legislature, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Unisa campuses, George Mukhari Academic Hospital and the Central Johannesburg TVET College.
Sithole, who has worked for Mafoko Security since 2013 and was stationed at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, told Sowetan that salary delays and partial payments have been a recurring problem for years, starting from 2016.
December was very painful because we couldn’t collect clothes we had put on lay-by for our children or take part in the festive celebrations.
— Securiy guard Bonangani Patricia Sithole
She described 2025 as the most difficult year of her 13-year employment with the company.
“Payment problems started in January last year, and we have been surviving on loans ever since. December was very painful because we couldn’t collect clothes we had put on lay-by for our children or take part in the festive celebrations. We had no food and no money for school uniforms and stationery, with schools reopening on January 14,” Sithole said.
She said workers continued reporting for duty despite not being paid because securing alternative employment had become increasingly difficult.
“We work just to pay debts and make more debts to survive,” she said.
“At home, more than 10 people depend on my salary. I have nothing. There is no food, and my children, siblings, their children and my parents are all hungry. I have borrowed from everyone I know, and even when the money comes, it won’t cover the debts. I avoid my landlord because I can’t pay rent,” Sithole said.
After 13 years of service, Sithole said she discovered through financial services company Alexforbes that her provident fund balance stands at just R30,000, despite monthly deductions of R457 from her salary.
Another security officer, Valencia Mwelase, 30, a mother of three who has been employed by Mafoko since 2022 and is stationed at Central Johannesburg TVET College, said workers were promised payment on 15 December after confronting management at the company’s offices.
“They only told us we would be paid after we went to their offices demanding answers. Even now, we don’t fully trust that they will pay because they have made promises before and failed,” Mwelase said.
Mwelase said she earns about R8,000 a month with overtime.
“I pay R1,700 for rent, R1,300 for transport and R2,500 that I send home for my children. The rest goes to accounts, policies and food. Without overtime, the salary is much less,” she said.
“Not getting paid has affected me so badly that I am close to being homeless because rent is overdue. I have to often hide or pretend I’m not in my rental home because the landlord is tired of excuses. I have no family in Gauteng; I can’t even go home [to KZN] with no money.”
Mwelase said Alexforbes informed her that she was not registered for a provident fund, despite monthly deductions being taken from her salary.
“I have nothing to show for the four years I have worked.”
The issue of unpaid provident fund contributions by Mafoko Security has been ongoing for several years. In April, the Johannesburg high court ruled that the company must pay outstanding contributions within 30 days — a deadline that has not been met, according to Masilo Fisha, a lawyer representing some former employees.
The court also ruled that the company’s assets could be attached to recover the funds.
Speaking to Sowetan, Fisha said a legal officer from the fund claimed late last year that R1.1 million had been paid.
“None of my clients have received anything so far. I doubt that payment was made. We are seeing the same company failing to pay salaries, and they have not provided payment schedules as proof,” Fisha said.
Sowetan has been trying without success since Tuesday to get a comment from Mafoko Security. On Thursday the company’s managing director, Lebo Nare, said he would respond on Friday.
The Gauteng legislature has condemned the company’s “unacceptable conduct which has left hard-working security officers and their families in distress and resulted in a bleak and painful festive season for those affected.
“The GPL condemns in the strongest terms the exploitation of workers and the blatant disregard for labour obligations displayed by Mafoko Security Company,” the legislature said in a statement, adding that their contact with Mafoko expired on December 31.
Sowetan
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