A Zimbabwe family has thanked the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) whose unannounced intervention has seen Amabutho Metal Recycling agree to repatriate the remains of 29-year-old immigrant worker Stanford Pesani.
Pesani died a horrible death last month after he fell into a metal shredder on the premises of Amabutho Metal Recyclers in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
The poor immigrant’s death lists among the most horrific fatal work accidents in recent memory.
Someone at the company collected the bits of bloodied cloth, bones, and strips of flesh, which were then presented in a black plastic bin bag to Pesani’s shocked and distraught mother and other family members.
Pesani didnt have a wife or children.
Relatives said for six years Pesani worked at the metal recycling company earning R1 800 a fortnight from the backbreaking and dangerous work.
After disagreements with the employer about compensation and repatriation of Pesani’s remains, the family took a picture of what was left of the once healthy young man.
Soon after The Bulrushes published the story, the EFF acted.
The family said during the EFF visit on Tuesday the company quickly agreed to compensate them and repatriate Pesani’s remains.
“The EFF saw the matter in the news and they contacted the mother of the deceased to come to their offices on Tuesday,” said a family member who asked not to be named.
“They went with the lady to the office at Mabutho Metal Recyclers and they met with the company lawyer and agreed to compensate the mother and help with the funeral arrangements.
“They agreed to pay the mother R20 000 for the funeral and R1 800 every fortnight for four months.
“On Thursday they paid R20 000 to the mother.”
Efforts to get a comment at the weekend from Nadine van Zyl, the owner Amabutho Metal Recycling, were in vain. She did not respond to messages.
When The Bulrushes first spoke to Van Zyl last month she said her husband “recently passed away” and she was considering closing the business.
At the time Van Zyl said she felt Pesani’s family was harassing her. Van Zyl said she even reported the matter to the police.
At the time the family complained that they were being ill-treated because Pesani didn’t have a visa to work in South Africa – an attitude they linked to reports of rising anti-foreigner sentiment in the country.
However, at the weekend the family said the EFF had resolved the matter satisfactorily.
“We are waiting for the police to release the remains for them to be repatriated to Zimbabwe for burial. Maybe on Monday, they will release the remains,” said the family member.
“Thank you EFF,” she said.
