The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has written to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, calling for an audit of private security companies contracted to government, following allegations of non-compliance with the Pension Fund Act and labour laws.

The EFF said on Tuesday that according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, 2 224 private security companies deducted health, provident and pension benefits, of around R6-billion, from workers’ salaries but have not been paying this towards the benefits.

“This egregious misconduct, aptly characterised by the EFF as mass-scale theft from workers, has resulted in the misappropriation of up to R6-billion in workers’ funds. Such actions flagrantly violate Section 13A of the Pension Funds Act. In light of these alarming revelations, the EFF has taken it upon itself to address this matter with the utmost urgency,” the red berets said.

In addition to an audit, the EFF wants those companies that are found guilty of violating the law to be given three months to pay back the workers’ funds or face cancelled contracts.

The EFF urged Godongwana’s office to prioritise the matter, calling for decisive action to rectify an injustice.

“We will not tolerate the exploitation of workers! Money of workers must be repaid now!” the EFF said.