JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 16: Hlumelo Biko (Chief Executive of Bosa) at the BOSA Policy Launch And Provincial Leader Unveiling in Parkhurst on February 16, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The launch unveiled nine provincial leaders who will be recruiting candidates for election, mobilising communities and building the BOSA brand across South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle)
The son of the late struggle icon Steven Bantu Biko is accused of failing to pay his former employee a whopping R720 000.
The company owned by Hlumelo Biko, whose mother is a well-known businesswoman and former freedom fighter, Mamphela Ramphele, was taken to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration in South Africa (CCMA) by one of his former employees, Adele Daniels, who won her case.
‘One year six months’ without pay
Daniels claimed that after relocating from Pretoria to Cape Town, she worked for Lavor Enterprise (Pty) Ltd.
“He interviewed me telephonically in April 2023. He then flew up to meet with me and do the second interview. He offered me a package, relocation to Cape Town on 15 December, 2023. We discussed that I will work on a consultant basis for the month of May and June 2023 and if all is good, I will be permanently employed by him,” she said
“The verbal agreement was to work for his companies, being Lavor Enterprise as executive personal assistant, across all of the other companies, being Commodity Trade Oil SA, National Unemployed Workers Union and Thrive Foundation SA.
“For the past one year and six months, being 1 July, 2023 to 3 August, 2024, I had a permanent employment contract with Biko’s company, but he refused to pay me for the duration of employment,” said Daniels.
Daniels said Biko instructed her to continue working, scheduling his meetings, arranging training and travel accommodation for conferences.
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“I was forced to resign in order to file a complaint at the CCMA in Pretoria Central. The CCMA made provision for online meeting which Mr Biko refused to accept the link to connect, wasting an hour and a half of the commissioner’s time.
“The arbitration was set down for 11 March, 2025 and once again he failed to attend the proceedings. I won the case on 18 March this year. He was instructed to pay me R720 000 in settlement,” said Adele.
Biko disputes ruling
The Citizen has seen the CCMA award that instructed Biko’s company to pay Daniels.
When contacted for comment, Biko agreed she was his employee, but denied that he owed her money.
“She worked for my company for four months and during that time, I paid her.
“She approached the Pretoria CCMA office knowing very well that I stay in Cape Town, so I failed to attend and that’s how she won the case.
“Honestly, she did not win it because I am in the wrong. The company that owes her does not belong to me,” said Biko.
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