Tensions have reached boiling point at Daybreak Foods’ operations near Delmas, Mpumalanga, as workers took to the streets in protest, blocking roads and demanding answers after not receiving their full salaries for two months.
Delmas protests: Here’s everything we know
According to reports, employees at the poultry production company were not paid at all for April and only received half of their salaries for March. This comes after working overtime and weekends without proper compensation, and now many workers say they are struggling to survive.
The protest, which escalated on Thursday, follows weeks of silence from management and growing frustration among staff.
A letter shared anonymously by a worker, speaking on behalf of colleagues, paints a bleak picture:
“We have no income, no food, no transport money, no ability to pay rent, school fees or debts. Some of us are already homeless,” the letter reads.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Daybreak Foods failed to pay UIF and provident fund contributions and stopped formal communication with workers. Employees say they have been left in limbo—unsure whether they’ve been retrenched, dismissed, or suspended.
South African law requires employers to follow proper steps if they plan to lay off workers, including giving notice and starting UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) processes. None of that has happened.
Outside the human tragedy is an equally distressing animal welfare crisis.
At Daybreak’s broiler farms, where chickens are raised for meat, feed shortages have led to mass starvation.
The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) found thousands of birds cannibalising each other. Some had missing wings and open wounds. Over 5,500 chickens had to be put down in just two farms last weekend.
NSPCA inspector Nazareth Appalsamy, who has been monitoring the situation, described it as “the worst I’ve seen in my career.”
Criminal charges under the Animals Protection Act are now being prepared against Daybreak’s board.
The company blames its financial problems on a combination of unpaid debts, power outages, and the failure to secure additional funding. It confirmed that it is considering entering business rescue—a legal process that allows companies in serious financial trouble to try to reorganise rather than shut down entirely.
In a statement, Daybreak acknowledged its “significant financial constraints” and said it is in talks with its main shareholder, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), to secure emergency funding.
However, no relief has reached employees on the ground.
“We are being forced to return to work with no pay, under empty promises of backpay,” one worker said.
The Democratic Alliance in Mpumalanga has also weighed in, saying the collapse of Daybreak could destabilise the region’s entire poultry sector.
“This catastrophic loss not only impacts the affected farmer, but also threatens the livelihoods of other poultry farmers relying on Daybreak’s supply chain,” the party stated.
Despite these warnings, the company has yet to issue a full response to worker complaints or confirm its business rescue plans. Workers say they plan to protest again, though a date has not been set.
[NOTE: A request for comment was sent to Daybreak Foods. No response had been received by the time of publication.]
