South African woman in Saudi Arabia involved in a contractual dispute with her employer — Dirco

A South African woman  alleges she is “trapped, alone and afraid” in Saudi Arabia as a contractual dispute unfolds with her employer. 

A letter allegedly penned by her, shared on social media, states: “People are living 4-6 in an apartment, on call 24/7 [and] forced to sign extended contracts, not being given the freedom to leave, even when it’s [a] holiday.  

“You need to pay them to be issued an exit [visa]. I was made to live with a married couple in a cockroach-infested apartment. I am fighting back and was kicked out [on]to the street,” she wrote.

The woman was in Saudi Arabia on a teaching job and has pleaded for help to get the government's attention in South Africa.

“Please don’t leave me alone and afraid. I don’t want to be here. I am desperate. The agent is from South Africa and he is refusing to assist.

“I’m working at a private school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They will not issue an exit visa.”  

The international relations and co-operation department (Dirco) said it is aware of her situation. Spokesperson Clayson Monyela said the issue revolved around her contract and the department could not interfere as the contract is based on local law.

According to Monyela, she called the South African embassy on October 5 and informed them she works at a school as a teacher but she is not happy with the work conditions and accommodation provided.

She said she was being pressured to sign a second contract, which she refused to do as she had already signed one. Under the new contract, her period of employment was extended by a year.

She visited the embassy on Sunday and a Dirco official explained the embassy doesn't interfere in employer-employee contractual obligations. The official advised her to report to the ministry of labour and engage a local lawyer.

Monyela said she told the official she would try to hire a lawyer with the assistance of friends.

“The school told her she would not be assisted with anything or regarded as its employee until she signed a new contract.

“The school is refusing to grant her an exit visa until she pays back the money she owes the school, amounting to 25,000 Saudi Arabian Riyals (R126,023) for visa fees, flight tickets, accommodation and admin fees,” Monyela said. 

Her case was not unique as there were many South African citizens working under similar conditions in Saudi Arabia and most other countries in the Middle East on a sponsorship visa. 

This allows employers to recruit employees while they are still in their home country and offer to pay for their visas, flights and accommodation. When employees arrive in that country they have to sign a contract that binds them for about two to three years, depending on the money spent, to recover the initial outlay.

“The issue the employer is raising — they say before we give you the exit visa, you pay us the money we spent on you. 

“No government in the world gets involved in contractual disputes — this is why you have courts of law and lawyers. When you have a [contractual ] dispute with your employer that is where you take it for recourse.

“No government will get involved in such matters and we have explained this to her,” he said. 

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