WORCESTER – Simcelile Nqeto (29) endured a night of terror on 7 October 2023, during his night shift at the Worcester Municipal Graveyard while working for a local security company for which he has worked for 5 years.
Nqeto was hijacked by assailants who then drove him to an open field in Aan de Doorns, where they doused him with petrol and set him alight.
In a harrowing account Nqeto recounted: “After they burnt me I ran as I was trying to take my clothes off, I heard them say, ‘With those burns, he will not live.’ Luckily, as I was losing strength I fell into a water ditch.”
A stranger found him and rushed him to Worcester Hospital. After spending two days there, he was transferred to Worcester Mediclinic for further treatment.
“The company was notified by the hospital about this incident,” Nqeto related, “but the company allegedly denied this saying that everyone had already ‘knocked off’ and they didn’t know of such an event.
“When they did visit me they said I must focus on my healing and assured me I would get my job back.”
He said that the company did provide him with his basic salary of R5 500 for October and November, then only R1 700 in December.
Deemed fit to return to work by a medical report submitted by his doctor on 3 April this year, Nqeto eagerly reported for duty. However, to his dismay, he was informed that there was no job available for him.
“There can’t be no job for me, I was injured while on duty. I want to be compensated and get my job back.”
Currently, Nqeto is undergoing counselling to cope with post-traumatic stress syndrome, a condition resulting from the traumatic events he experienced.
Provincial sector organiser from Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) Mandla Mngqikana said: “This is not the first case when it comes to the ill-treatment of workers by any company; this company continues to exploit its workers.”
It denied all these allegations, stating they were untrue and false.The ordeal has left Nqeto facing an uncertain future, as he navigates the physical and emotional scars of the attack while grappling with the sudden loss of his job.
