No lights, no water - and late pay at Zebediela citrus estate

Hundreds of Zebediela citrus estate workers had a bleak festive season with no electricity or running water, bouncing debit orders and late salaries.

The farm, about 50km outside Polokwane in Limpopo, employs about 300 full-time and temporary workers, many of whom live on the estate.

Ben Takalo, chairman of the workers' forum, said financial problems started last June.

"We started experiencing salary payment delays. Our debit orders started bouncing," Takalo said.

The forum's deputy chairman, Charles Moyane, said although deductions were reflected on the payslips, they discovered the money had not been paid.

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"We started receiving texts threatening legal action. Some of the workers have garnishee orders, they get deductions for child support and it shows on the payslip. But in reality it did not go through to the beneficiaries," Moyane said.

The estate's acting general manager, France Tlolane, refused to comment.

Moyane, who has worked on the farm for more than 30 years, said: "I have five kids and my mother is 87 years old and has a chronic disease. I have a domestic worker I have to pay who takes care of her in the village. Every month I have to go to a doctor and buy her medication."

Workers said they only received their November salary after Christmas.

They did not receive the usual 13th cheque.

"We had a bleak Christmas," said worker Mable Ledwaba, who supports three children and her younger brother.

"We did not have food and I could not buy my kids new clothes. It was just a disaster. I was hurt because we are not used to such suffering."

The fruit trees remain green due to good rainfall, but the farm does not have electricity or a proper water supply.

Workers said the electricity was cut off in November because of non-payment. Vandals had since stolen electricity cables and transformers.

"When there is no electricity, that means there is no water because we use electricity to pump water from boreholes," said Takalo.

"Our lifestyle has also changed because now we use fire to cook and we have to eat all our food because we do not have fridges."