Kempton Park killings: Women’s deaths fuel call for action from late-shift workers - IOL

Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) are investigating a crime scene where a woman's body was discovered yesterday morning in Kwa-Thema, Ekurhuleni.

Workers in the hospitality industry are calling for urgent safety measures to be implemented for late shift employees after a near kidnapping in Kempton Park as the number of women found dead has risen to seven.

The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) and its affiliate, the National Union of Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Commercial, Health and Allied Workers (NUHRCCHAW), said workers in the hospitality and other late-shift industries should not be left to navigate unsafe journeys home on their own.

The concerns come amid the discovery of at least seven women’s bodies in parts of Kempton Park and surrounding areas. The deaths, reported since July, have heightened concerns about the safety of women with President Cyril Ramaphosa appealing to police to prioritise the cases.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said investigators were considering several possibilities, including whether the deaths could involve one perpetrator, a group of men, or possible copycat killings.

“We don’t want to rush the investigators because this is a very complex investigation,” Mathe said.

Police have increased visibility and resources in the affected areas, with specialised units being brought into the investigation. The SAPS cyber unit will also assist, while Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo has been tasked with supporting the Gauteng team.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, who has returned from China, is expected to hold a high-level meeting with Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane to assess what more can be done to identify and apprehend those responsible.

The reported kidnapping of a NUHRCCHAW shop steward on Sunday, September 13, added to those concerns but the woman has since been found.

FEDUSA General Secretary Riefdah Ajam says the federation is “deeply concerned” about the safety of workers, particularly women who finish late and have to travel home without adequate safety measures.

“The Federation remains deeply concerned about the safety of workers in the Kempton Park area, particularly women workers who finish late shifts and are forced to make their way home without any adequate safety measures,” Ajam says.

NUHRCCHAW has previously raised concerns about workers being mugged and threatened while travelling to taxi ranks after 11pm. The union also proposed transport assistance for workers finishing late shifts.

“The union has repeatedly raised these concerns.”

Ajam says workers should not have to choose between employment and their safety.

“Workers should not have to choose between earning a living and getting home safely,” she said.

Workers who spoke on condition of anonymity said getting home after late shifts is a daily concern. Some live far from their workplaces and say they experience constant anxiety when relying on e-hailing services to get home, particularly in the absence of dedicated transport arrangements that would provide a safer journey.

“It is always scary travelling at night because you always have to wonder if you are going to make it home safely,” one worker said.

Another said those fears have intensified following the discovery of the bodies of women in and around Kempton Park.

“Especially with all these reports coming in about women, it has become even more scary this week with the discoveries of the bodies,” she says.

The workers say employees are currently left to make their own arrangements to get home after late shifts.

“If there were measures regarding transport, it would be great. But at work, we have to figure out ourselves how we are going to get home,” she says.

The Department of Employment and Labour says its mandate applies where risks are linked to employer-required late or night work, while crime in public spaces is not primarily its responsibility.

“Employers may have obligations regarding transport availability for night workers and must consider reasonably practicable measures to address identified risks,” departmental spokesperson Teboho Thejane said.

Meanwhile, runners came together yesterday morning to honour Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, with Stallion Running Club using the tribute to demand safer communities and running routes for women.

Bethuel Mangena said the gathering was about standing together and making it clear that women should not have to choose between their safety and their passion for running.

“Tsontso embodies the collective experience of all women, including mothers, wives, and sisters,” Mangena said.