Disgruntled employees of Just On Cosmetics, the company which applied for provisional liquidation this week, are planning to march on the Kempston Group offices.
Kempston Group owner Tony Cotterell is one of three trustees in the Pocot Trust which bought the floundering firm a year ago.
South African Chemical Workers’ Union provincial organiser Mzwakhe Ntoyakhe, who represents about 350 of more than 500 former Just On employees, said they would march on the company’s offices and take the matter to the Grahamstown High Court in a bid to appoint the liquidator in the case.
Ntoyakhe yesterday said the union considered employees to be creditors because they were owed retrenchment and leave pay.
“If we appoint our liquidator the process will be fair and our members will have access to information,” he said.
He further claimed the retrenchment process of employees who worked at Just On’s Wilsonia warehouse before it was shut down due to cost cutting in August had not been completed.
He said when Just On workers based in Queenstown approached the department of labour to apply for UIF, they were told their names did not appear.
“This is why we are planning action and want to apply to the municipality to march to the Kempston (Group) head office in Nahoon.”
Just On Cosmetics shut its 43 beauty care and household product stores on September 26.
On Wednesday the East London High Court provisionally wound up Just On Cosmetics at the behest of the company, which said it found itself in a dire financial position and did not have the means to meet its commitments to trade creditors and capital funders.
In the certificate of urgency, Just On attorney Angus Pringle said a provisional liquidator was urgently required to protect the company’s assets and the interest of the general body of creditors.
Former Just On warehouse employee Lulama Mzothale, 46, needed answers from his former employers.
“We want the owners to be available to us so we can get what we need from them and that is why we want to march,” said Mzothale, 46, who had worked for Just On since 2007 before being retrenched in August.
He said although he had received payment since he was retrenched it was not the correct amount because the union had not yet come to an agreement with Just On.
He said his former employers failed to appear at a CCMA hearing earlier this week.
Just On procurement manager Ricardo Calaca said it would be up to the liquidator to deal with issues like the CCMA and termination letters.
“Employees and creditors will have to wait for a liquidator to be appointed. Kempston is a creditor and has already given support to a liquidator.”
Nonclahla Nani, 32, who managed one of the East London city centre branches of Just On Cosmetics, said after six years with Just On she was now stuck at home with two young children and dreading the prospect of month-end bills.
“We were told September was our last payment but did not receive termination letters to show those we owe money to.
“I will look for a job, but jobs are scarce at this time of year. I am stuck, stuck, stuck.” — Additional reporting by Adrienne Carlisle
Former Just On workers plan march
Kempston Group owner Tony Cotterell is one of three trustees in the Pocot Trust which bought the floundering firm a year ago.
South African Chemical Workers’ Union provincial organiser Mzwakhe Ntoyakhe, who represents about 350 of more than 500 former Just On employees, said they would march on the company’s offices and take the matter to the Grahamstown High Court in a bid to appoint the liquidator in the case.
Ntoyakhe yesterday said the union considered employees to be creditors because they were owed retrenchment and leave pay.
“If we appoint our liquidator the process will be fair and our members will have access to information,” he said.
He further claimed the retrenchment process of employees who worked at Just On’s Wilsonia warehouse before it was shut down due to cost cutting in August had not been completed.
He said when Just On workers based in Queenstown approached the department of labour to apply for UIF, they were told their names did not appear.
“This is why we are planning action and want to apply to the municipality to march to the Kempston (Group) head office in Nahoon.”
Just On Cosmetics shut its 43 beauty care and household product stores on September 26.
On Wednesday the East London High Court provisionally wound up Just On Cosmetics at the behest of the company, which said it found itself in a dire financial position and did not have the means to meet its commitments to trade creditors and capital funders.
In the certificate of urgency, Just On attorney Angus Pringle said a provisional liquidator was urgently required to protect the company’s assets and the interest of the general body of creditors.
Former Just On warehouse employee Lulama Mzothale, 46, needed answers from his former employers.
“We want the owners to be available to us so we can get what we need from them and that is why we want to march,” said Mzothale, 46, who had worked for Just On since 2007 before being retrenched in August.
He said although he had received payment since he was retrenched it was not the correct amount because the union had not yet come to an agreement with Just On.
He said his former employers failed to appear at a CCMA hearing earlier this week.
Just On procurement manager Ricardo Calaca said it would be up to the liquidator to deal with issues like the CCMA and termination letters.
“Employees and creditors will have to wait for a liquidator to be appointed. Kempston is a creditor and has already given support to a liquidator.”
Nonclahla Nani, 32, who managed one of the East London city centre branches of Just On Cosmetics, said after six years with Just On she was now stuck at home with two young children and dreading the prospect of month-end bills.
“We were told September was our last payment but did not receive termination letters to show those we owe money to.
“I will look for a job, but jobs are scarce at this time of year. I am stuck, stuck, stuck.” — Additional reporting by Adrienne Carlisle
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