Durban call centre CEO Mark Chana granted R5000 bail for 'lockdown' infringments

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Durban - The CEO of a call centre in Umhlanga who was arrested for allegedly contravening the Regulations of the Disaster Management Act made his first appearance in the Verulam Magistrate's Court today. National police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo confirmed that Mark Deva Chana, 46, was released on R5000 bail. Naidoo said that on Monday members from the SAPS together with other Government Departments embarked on an intelligence- driven operation at a call centre in High Street, in Umhlanga Rocks. Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya told The Mercury it had received more than 100 complaints from employees at CCI South Africa, which is believed to employ about 9000 people at various sites. He said the complaints related to the Covid-19 regulations under the Disaster Management Act.

“The complaints were mainly about social distancing and the provision of masks and hand sanitisers in the workplace. Business owners have been urged to protect our special resources - the workers - because they will be needed in the months to come to rebuild our economy,” Sibiya said.

The accused's next court date is still to be confirmed.

In a separate incident, the 14 workers who were locked up in a mask manufacturing factory in Umhlanga since Monday last week have been paid their salaries.

The MEC for EDTEA, Nomusa Dube-Ncube in a statement said: "I wish to report that the workers have been paid their salaries. At this stage we wish to allow the Department of Employment and Labour to continue with their investigation in relation to the violation of the Conditions of Employment; and Occupational and Safety Act."

She added: "I have instructed officials from my department to move with speed in processing hundreds of complaints from workers across the province. Unannounced visits have been planned. It is disturbing to learn about workers who are forced to work in groups of more than 300 in unhygienic conditions. This is despite fact that they are not performing essential services as stipulated by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition."

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