EMPLOYEES of furniture shops said that the concerns rose by Minister of Enterprise and Employment Lutfo Dlamini were only a tip of an iceberg, as they worked under the trying conditions. Many who called The Swazi Observer said their company was owned by South Africans who cared less about their welfare.

They said the companies promised them terminal benefits that were,however,it was not redeemable.When you want those benefits upon termination of employment, they refer you to the head office in the neighboring country,” one said in a telephonic interview.

Another from Nhlangano said furniture shops closed down very often and forgot about the terminal benefits of staff.”Our company was previously owned by other directors, but we now see men from another furniture shop walking into the offices with briefcases. These men are working for another furniture shop based in Piet Retief. They come into the country every morning and leave in the afternoon,” the employee stated.

He said the furniture shop had only changed its name, and nothing was said about the retirement benefits of the workers.Meanwhile, another man actually said the insurance policies signed by customers of furniture shops were useless.

“My brother bought a piece of furniture and later died. We gave the furniture shop his death certificate, but they now want the goods back from us. It means the insurance policies are insignificant.”

Another man who said he was a customer of the furniture shop said he had been blacklisted without being informed.The minister said on Monday the furniture shops will be called to order, adding that they had to comply with the Hire Purchase Act of 1969.

He then set up a committee to work on the complaints by customers and employees of the shops.