An engineering firm that manufactures and supplies boilers to Sasol and Eskom is being accused of racism by its workers.

Department of labour officials are expected to attend a meeting at Steinmüller's Pretoria plant, where employees say they have been subjected to verbal abuse and hate speech.

Steinmuller employs about 800 people in Pretoria. It has another plant in Mpumalanga.

According to the National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union, the grievances gained momentum when worker Musa Nkosi was fired after alleging that a senior colleague, Geoff Williams, called him a "kaffir" in November.

Workers, saying they had lost confidence in the company's management, handed a list of demands to the department of labour.

According to the company yesterday, a hearing convened to inquire into Nkosi's allegations could not find evidence sufficient to establish that Williams had used abusive or derogatory language and cleared him.

David Peel, Steinmuller's general manager for resources, said the company had no tolerance for racist or discriminatory conduct.

"Should any employee, regardless of his position in the company, be found to be guilty of such behaviour, Steinmuller will ensure that decisive action is taken."