Thursday, January 19, 2006

1/9 Vereeniging, South Africa Employer Murders Workers for Organizing Labor

Employer Charl Colyn, his daughter Isabel, son-in-law Jacques Smit and family friend Ruan Swanepoel are accused of murdering 3 of Colyn’s employees at a Laundromat. Caroline Lesito (28), Constance Moeletsi and Victoria Ndweni (30) were found dead in laundry bins at their workplace, Protea Dry Cleaners. Another three suspects are still being sought by police. The Colyns' gardeners, Samuel Mzizi and Jacob Dlamini are also charged as accessories to the crime as they were paid to clean up the crime scene.
According to charges, 9 people entered the workplace and began to assault the employees. At one point they opened a washing machine, threw chemicals in the machine and put victims in. When taken out, they were tied up and strangled, left for dead in the dust bins. As for a possible motive, one of the victims influenced workers to join the union and had already reported the owners to the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration).

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