EFF Calls for Parliamentary Probe Into West Coast Fishing Job Losses

Why the EFF Got Involved

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have handed an urgent petition to South Africa’s National Assembly. They want Parliament to step in and stop the wave of retrenchments and alleged corporate wrongdoing in the fishing and canning industry along the West Coast.

Who’s Behind the Petition?

The petition was filed together with community representatives from Laaiplek, St Helena Bay, and Velddrif. It targets big players such as Oceana Group (including its Lucky Star Fishing Company) and the Amawandle Pelagic facility.

Main Accusations Against the Companies

Using Public Quotas for Private Gain

The EFF argues that fishing corporations receive valuable public fishing quotas after promising jobs and community upliftment. Once the quotas are secured, the companies allegedly go ahead with factory mergers and mass layoffs.

Workers Treated as Essential but Underpaid

During the COVID‑19 pandemic, many of these workers were labelled essential, keeping the national food supply running. Yet the EFF says they were paid as little as R5,000 a month, leaving them vulnerable despite their critical role.

What’s Happening on the Ground?

Reports show that Oceana‑linked facilities are undergoing consolidation, creating anxiety among hundreds of seasonal and contract workers who fear losing their livelihoods.

EFF’s Demands to Parliament

Refer the Issue to the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

The party wants an urgent inquiry into whether Oceana has violated the socio‑economic promises tied to its fishing quotas.

Review the Fishing Rights Allocation Process

EFF calls for a reassessment of how quotas are handed out, insisting that minimum employment standards and living wages be enforced.

Treat Fishing Rights as a Public Trust

The party stresses that public fishing resources are not private property but a national asset held in trust for all South Africans. Allocation should promote social justice and community upliftment, not private profit.

Looking Ahead

The EFF says it will keep using its parliamentary oversight role to push for accountability. Coastal communities, according to the party, are not asking for charity—they are demanding justice.