DA demands clarity on Denel’s finances
One, only identified as M, earlier testified how she once tried to run away from where she lived in Jaspit Court in Arcadia with the brothers and other prostitutes.
Obasi, however, brought her back. The result was that she and the other prostitutes were locked up during the day, only allowed out after 6pm to recruit clients.
The women said they usually worked a 12-hour shift and they were constantly high on drugs to maintain the lifestyle. They also charged their clients according to their “menu” – R100 for a “full house” (any type of sex) and R80 for a single style.
They often also had “smoking clients” who required them to sit with them naked, while the clients used drugs.
Drugs were commonly used by pimps to recruit new victims of prostitution and to retain them in a subjugated state, while optimising their exploitation, university lecturer Marcel van der Watt, an expert on human trafficking, told the court. He was called as a witness to help the court get a better understanding of human trafficking and prostitution.
“The administration of drugs by traffickers is commonly used to create an addiction among victims or fuel existing dependencies. Traffickers also threaten to withhold drugs to coerce them into prostitution.” – THE DA has asked arms manufacturer Denel for an urgent update on the status of its financial affairs.
Trade unions said Denel had run out of money and would not be able to pay its 4 000 employees their December salaries or its suppliers.
An emergency meeting between the company and trade unions Solidarity, Uasa and the National Union of Metalworkers has not yielded results.
DA spokesperson for public enterprises Natasha Mazzone said reports that Denel was broke were a damning indictment of its leadership.
“Denel must come clean and give an urgent response as the DA has received numerous requests for intervention.
“It is clear that the executives can no longer be trusted to solve this impending emergency.
It is clear that Denel management is unable to handle any emergency.
“It is disheartening to imagine that during the festive season, Denel employees could potentially not receive their salaries after a long year of hard work and dedication.
“Under Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown’s watch our SOEs have disintegrated due to corruption and gross mismanagement.
“The DA expects a comprehensive and swift response from Denel. We need to get to the bottom of this financial mess to ensure that Denel employees and suppliers are paid,” Mazzone said. – African News Agency/ANA
WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS FINANCIAL MESS TO ENSURE THAT DENEL EMPLOYEES AND SUPPLIERS ARE PAID