KOMATIPOORT, Mpumalanga — A Nkomazi youth protest over RCL Foods jobs has mobilized a large group of unemployed locals, who marched more than two kilometers to the company’s sugar mill to hand over a memorandum of grievances. The demonstrators are demanding fair and equal employment opportunities for qualified residents in the sub-region.
The march was organized to address widespread frustrations regarding local hiring practices. Many young people claim that despite holding relevant qualifications, they have never been considered for opportunities at the firm. Instead, they allege that the company frequently hires individuals from outside the area.
Sibusiso Mhlanga, the march organizer, explained that the protest is part of a broader campaign for local employment.
“Firstly, TSP is located in our sub-region Nkomazi and is the biggest firm. We are not only targeting TSP, we are starting here because it’s closer to us,” Mhlanga said. “Secondly, we have got a lot of companies that we will target, but we know TSP can have a volume and they’ve got a lot of employees in different categories and fields. That’s why we’re coming here. We are introducing ourselves here to be known in the sub-region of what we’re capable of as a youth.”
Mhlanga noted that while TSP (also referred to as TSB in the transcript) is the first stop, organizers plan to target other companies to demand equal employment. In the meantime, the organizers are collecting the details of unemployed young people in the area to forward their names for various job opportunities.
The grievances highlight the deep economic strain on the community. Protesters expressed frustration over being labeled as unwilling to work while facing systemic barriers to employment.
“Unemployment is very painful because where we thought we would get jobs, they employ people from other places and not us,” one unemployed resident stated. “We are unemployed and our families are dependent on us. My parents are old. I’m trying to provide for the family. We are being told that we don’t want to work but no one is employing us. They are hiring people from outside, some come from Kathu, from the Free State. So we are here in Nkomazi. We’re looking for the job. They have to give us a job.”
The protest comes at a critical time for the province’s economy. According to Statistics South Africa’s first-quarter 2026 labor force survey, Mpumalanga recorded a 4% increase in unemployment. The province’s unemployment rate rose from 32.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025 to 36.3% in the first quarter of 2026.
For many qualified individuals, the lack of local opportunities is pushing them past critical career milestones. One 34-year-old resident, who lives just 10 minutes away from the TSB facility, shared their personal struggles.
“I studied internal auditing and also have a National Certificate in accountancy, but I have been applying and I’ve never received even one call back from TSB,” the graduate explained. “I’m worried now because I just turned 34. Next year I’m 35. So it means that my cut-off age is here. I’d like to plead with TSB to please just give us a chance. We are not asking for charity. We just need equal jobs.”
In response to the demonstration, RCL Foods corporate affairs executive Lazarus Bereda engaged with the demonstrators. Beda promised the group that the company would thoroughly review their memorandum and provide a formal response within the 14-day timeframe they have been given.