Workers at Daybreak Farm took to the streets on Friday, blocking the R50 road outside the company’s Clayville premises, demanding their overdue salaries amid allegations of severe animal neglect and crisis management failures.

The protest was sparked by non-payment of wages that were due on April 25, with many workers still left empty-handed nearly two weeks later.

Daybreak, whose sole shareholder is the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), has allegedly closed its doors, offering no explanation or timeline for payment.

“We have not been paid our salaries until now. Imagine — we were supposed to get the money from the 24th, but nothing to this day,” said Noluthando Ndlovu, a general worker at Daybreak.

“Things are tense because the management does not want to give us clear answers about our salaries. They are just silent and we are not having any of that nonsense,” she told African Times.

Another worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: “I have been working for Daybreak since 2022. We are tired of what has been happening. I am here for my provident fund, UIF documents, and Old Mutual documents.”

Many workers echoed frustration over the company’s lack of communication.

“The thing with Daybreak is that they don’t communicate with us. We only find out what’s happening through the media and social media. There are even rumors of an internal crisis.”

Beyond the unpaid wages, the situation at Daybreak Farm has turned grim — and gruesome. According to Tersia Marshall, DA MPL and spokesperson on Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, over 25,000 chickens have died due to starvation, and 5,000 more had to be euthanized due to cannibalistic behavior triggered by hunger.

“They are striking. I’ve put a press release out,” said Marshall in an interview with African Times.

“The information we have is that 25,000 chickens died due to hunger and the SPCA, with the help of local branches, had to cull about 5,000 due to cannibalism. They were literally stolen of their lives.”

She continued: “This company has already closed. Workers were supposed to be paid on the 25th, and they still haven’t been. There is no further information about when they’ll be paid.”

Marshall had also issued a formal statement on April 25, calling on the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) to intervene.

“Chickens on this farm have resorted to cannibalism after not being fed for at least four consecutive days. Day-old chicks are dying from cold exposure due to power failures and broken heating equipment,” the statement read.

She described disturbing scenes during an oversight visit.

“Chickens were seen escaping through narrow openings in search of food, pecking at decomposing carcasses of their fellow chickens outside.”

The DA has accused the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs of ignoring repeated warnings.

“It is shocking how the MEC has turned a blind eye to such cruelty. This violates the Animals Protection Act of 1962,” Marshall stated.

As the crisis deepens, workers remain on strike and insist they will not back down until they are paid.

“We want our salaries to be paid so that we can move on,” added Ndlovu.

African Times has reached out to Daybreak management for comment but we have not gotten any response.