‘Gcina’s burial is not the end — we want answers’

The family members of the Cartrack employee who died at work this week say they hope her burial will not quell the outrage over her death.

Gcina Dhladhla, 29, was laid to rest in Olifantsvlei cemetery yesterday after a funeral service attended by hundreds of mourners in Emdeni, Soweto.

Dhladhla, who had worked for Cartrack in Rosebank for two years, collapsed and died in a toilet cubicle after she was allegedly forced to continue working after she said she was not feeling well.

Her manager allegedly raised concerns about who would pay for her treatment if she were taken to a private hospital nearby.

The Sowetan reported that Dhladhla’s aunt, Nomusa Dhladhla, said an ambulance was not called for her dying niece. The aunt, who was in Soweto at the time of the incident, called a private ambulance to Cartrack’s offices, where the company’s first-aid team were unable to revive Dhladhla.

Family spokesperson Thamsanqa Mbuli said the family hoped the hype generated by how she died would not dissipate while the family was looking for answers.

“Right now, everything is still fresh, and everyone is engaged in [finding out what happened]. We want an outcome. The hype that is happening now must continue until we get the real facts,” he said.

Mbuli said the family did not want to point fingers but rather wanted the true facts to be uncovered and justice to be served.

“We met Cartrack on Wednesday and had a meeting with their management, together with the CEO … Nobody has factual information, but our collective view is that we will approach this sensitive situation with absolute caution.”

Mbuli confirmed that ahead of her death Dhladhla had not been feeling well, but he said the family wanted to give the investigation a chance.

“What we know is that she had been raising issues around her health, but what we do not know are the surrounding circumstances … We do know she had been unwell for a while,” Mbuli said.

However, he did not want to expand on this issue while the investigation was under way.

In a joint statement, Cartrack South Africa CEO Joshua Victor and the Dhladhla family said they wanted “the facts to be fully established through the ongoing independent investigations” and were “committed to fully supporting those processes”.

“Our colleague was a valued member of our team, and this loss has been deeply felt across the organisation,” Victor said. “We remain deeply committed to supporting the family, co-operating fully with law enforcement and the department of labour, and ensuring that every fact is uncovered and established through the appropriate processes.”

The family and Cartrack confirmed they would remain in direct communication and continue to work together as the investigations progressed.

Her death may change the working conditions of many other young people who have to tolerate harsh treatment

—  Thembelihle Sibiya, childhood friend of the deceased

“Together, we respectfully ask that the focus remain on honouring Gcina Dhladhla’s memory, supporting those who are grieving, and allowing the appropriate processes to establish the facts [to unfold],” their statement said.

At her funeral service, Dhladhla’s friends vowed to fight to ensure the facts surrounding her death were uncovered.

Thembelihle Sibiya, who had known Dhladhla since they were children, said it was now up to them to ensure the events leading to her death were not swept under the carpet.

“I want to see justice. That has to happen. Her death may change the working conditions of many other young people who have to tolerate harsh treatment,” Sibiya said.

Dhladhla was described as a breadwinner who took care of her mother and family.

Philile Mkhalani, a friend and former colleague, said Dhladhla worked hard to make ends meet.

“Nobody works in a call centre by choice, but Gcina had to keep on working [because she was the] breadwinner at home,” Mkhalani said.

She said some of their recent conversations had been about how demanding her job was.

“I am calling for justice for Gcina and justice for everyone out there working under pressure to make ends meet,” Mkhalani said.

Another friend, Thembisile Sibiya, said, “It’s painful how my friend died … We will not keep quiet. All we want is justice.“

Dhladhla’s younger brother, Hloni, who delivered a tribute amid loud crying and tears, described Dhladhla as his “best sister”, who was always there for him.