A 44-year-old sole breadwinner from Gouda says he is anxious about the thought of never being able to work again after a “faulty machine” chopped off his hand at a meat processing plant on the R44 between Gouda and Wellington.
The incident occurred on Saturday 19 July at around 17:00 when John Manko was working his weekend shift at Tomis Abattoir’s local plant about 15 km outside of Gouda.
Tomis Abattoir specialises in meat processing and packaging, supplying beef, lamb and other meat products to wholesalers and retailers.
According to Manko he was busy clearing remaining meat from a processing machine when it took his hand.
“The machine is switched on and off through different buttons. I always make sure it is switched off before putting my hand in there.
“The machine was faulty and basically switched on by itself. At first I did not realise what had happened. It almost felt like a quick pinch to my hand.
“It was only when I took my arm out of the machine that I had realised my right hand had been chopped off,” Manko explained.
He was rushed to hospital and released two days later.
Manko said it was while sitting at home that the reality of never being able to work again struck him.
He said he not only had to endure physical pain but is also struggling emotionally.
“I have five girls, the youngest is only 11-years-old. It is now almost a month after it happened and I am stressing about if I will ever be able to provide for family again.”
Manko said he visited the company shortly after his release from hospital.
He said one of the senior managers also came to see him while he was still in hospital.
“They promised me that I will be taken care of and that we will talk about my future as soon as I have fully healed.”
According to Manko workers often endure irregular long hours.
“There are no shifts. You start at 06:30 in the morning and work until 22:00, sometimes even 23:00 at night.
“These hours are the same on weekends. You leave when the work is done,” he said.
A senior manager at Tomis Abattoir, Bok Pretorius, confirmed the incident.
“The incident happened during a routine cleaning procedure and resulted in a serious hand injury.
“Our employee received immediate medical attention and thankfully remains in a stable condition.”
He added: “As with any workplace incident, an internal investigation is underway, and we are reviewing all relevant health and safety protocols. The safety and wellbeing of our employees remain our top priority, and we will give every support to our employee and his family”.
Pretorius only responded to Paarl Post’s questions asked about the alleged irregularly long working hours, the alleged lack of training, and the failure to adhere to basic PPE as reported by some workers, after the printed edition of Thursday (14 August) was already sent to the printers.
He said via email that the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees have always been, and will remain, their highest priority.
“Tomis has maintained a strong safety record over many years and continues to invest in safe equipment, regular training, and clear safety procedures to protect our teams. All machinery is fitted with the required safety mechanisms, and employees receive ongoing in-house training on their correct use.
“Supervisors and line managers are present on the production floor to oversee operations, ensure adherence to safety standards, and address any issues promptly with the assistance of skilled technicians and electricians,” he said.
Pretorius said the company covered all medical expenses related to the incident and ensuring that he continues to receive his regular fortnightly wages.
“Any compensation through the relevant Compensation Fund will be determined once the final medical report has been received,” he added.
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