MiWay sales agents staged a picket outside the company’s offices in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Friday, protesting against salary cuts that have crippled their ability to sustain their families. A group of about 50 employees gathered in what appeared to signal a “stay away” as employees voiced their grievances. In a statement seen by TimesLIVE, the protesting group alleged their salaries were cut by R7,000 two months ago, a move they claim has led to severe financial distress and depression among some employees.
The agents accused management, who they said came from a competitor, of having “ruined where they’ve come from” and are attempting to replicate the same destructive behaviour at MiWay. “The MiWay sales agents are not happy with the constant change in their commission structure, which only benefits them,” the statement read. Employees claimed the new commission model, which they labelled a “cap system”, has severely limited their earning potential.
Speaking anonymously to TimesLIVE, several employees shared their frustrations, painting a picture of unsustainable income drops. “Imagine earning a certain amount and then they cut it in half and then cut it again,” one employee said. “We are missing instalments, our accounts are in arrears, and every month we have to choose what to pay and what not to pay.” Employees said they are unable to disclose exact salary figures for fear of breaching internal policy but described a dramatic plunge in earnings.
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Some employees were said to have gone from earning around R30,000 to receiving R2,000. Agents said their previous income structure had no commission ceiling and they shared proportionally in the business they wrote. However, the new model has reportedly left 20% of staff walking away with “no money” while 80% are getting “very little”. The sales agents criticised the company’s executive leadership: “The greedy management will be sharing the money among themselves as bonuses while people who are working hard don’t get any bonuses whatsoever.”
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