[Image: Facebook/Eza Limelintaka]
What should’ve been a personal win turned into a workplace horror show for 28-year-old Eza Limelintaka, a cashier at Berkley Motors, a Shell Garage in Maitland, Cape Town.
After nearly a year of scrimping and hustling — along with the help of a bank loan — Limelintaka proudly rolled into work with her newly bought second-hand car.
But instead of high-fives and “you go, girl!”, she got side-eyes and suspicion.
“He asked how I could afford a car on my salary and demanded access to my bank account,” Limelintaka told News24.
“He then emailed my bank statements to himself. I stood there watching him go through my finances. He found nothing suspicious but still said he no longer trusted me.”
Instead of suspecting her of any actual wrongdoing — like theft or fraud — the boss allegedly decided that her ambition was a bit too much for his liking. When she asked if any money had gone missing or if she was under investigation for anything at all? Nope.
Still, he allegedly told her he was “uncomfortable” with her staying on as a cashier — and gave her a peach of an ultimatum:
Work outside as a petrol attendant or resign.
“I refused. I was hired as a cashier and have done nothing wrong,” she said.
She was told to go home and “consider her options”, which was code for ‘think hard about how to quit without making a fuss’.
Her till was closed, and her duties were yanked. Just like that.
“I had hoped the car would help me run a side hustle and keep working. Now it feels like I’m being punished for trying to improve my life.”
You said it, girl. Nice of you not to mention the low-key racism of the whole affair.
Enter the National Insourced Workers Union, who are now on the case with a clipboard and some fire. Union rep Siviwe Shiyeni said they’ve contacted Berkley Motors and are demanding documents, including her employment contract and duty roster.
“They’re trying to force her to resign under duress, which is unlawful,” he added. “We have advised her to report for duty. If the employer intends to change her role, they must put it in writing.”
Berkley Motors, meanwhile, is playing the classic “nothing to see here” card. In response to News24, they claimed: “Nothing was done without consent, and discussions are ongoing. She has left out many facts that were stated. Nobody was accused of anything, and she has not been fired.”
Ah, yes. The old “we didn’t fire her, we just made it very hard for her to do her job.”
Asked what sparked the sudden obsession with Limelintaka’s bank account, Berkley Motors dodged, calling it “an internal matter.” Smooth.
When Limelintaka returned to work on Monday, her boss apparently switched gears. He told her she could have refused access to her bank account after all (news to her), and then dropped the bombshell that he’d received a “tip-off” that she might steal from the business.
So naturally, the next move? He offered her two weeks of paid leave while the police investigated… her hypothetical future crime.
She wasn’t buying it. Limelintaka declined the leave and asked that all communication be documented properly. As in, written down. Like professionals do when they’re not running on vibes and paranoia.
The engine of justice may be slow, but Limelintaka’s not stalling.
