Using muti or traditional preparations to intimidate or threaten a colleague constitutes misconduct and is a dismissible offence.Employers have the right to remove such "purveyors of darkness from their environment".This is according to a recent finding by the Bargaining Council for the Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Industry.The case arose from Tongaat Hulett’s 2014 dismissal of Louis Mngomezulu‚ a boilermaker at the company’s Darnall Mill‚ for placing at risk the safety‚ health and life of the company’s HR manager‚ Nokukhanya Nxele.The company said Mngomezulu did that by knowingly and deliberately placing black‚ gummy substances on the Nxele’s car door, its keyhole, and the ground on March 24‚ 2014.Nxele described the substance to a traditional healer she consulted‚ who believed it was harmful muti.Mngomezulu‚ who was unhappy with the dismissal‚ approached the bargaining council to set aside his dismissal. The matter was heard this year.CCTV footage at the parking lot at work sh...
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