More than 200 workers at the Maila Conservation of Medicinal Plants project are still on strike, after they had allegedly not been paid for the last two months.

The R20-million project was launched in August 2010 by the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi. It was set to draw attention to the need for the development, promotion and protection of natural and biological resources,  and their associated indigenous knowledge.

According to the workers, the Indigenous Knowledge Systems of South Africa Trust (IKSSA) has failed to pay them their wages since September.

One of the employees, Ms Lydia Tshakhosi, said that it was a bitter pill to swallow when she discovered that she had not been paid. “Our contract states that we will be paid on the last day of every month. We are working hard, but the company treats us as if we are beggars. We work hard for this money. We are not going back to work. We will only go back after they have paid us our money,” said Tshakhosi.

She also appealed to the provincial government to intervene.

The CEO of the IKSSA Trust, Mrs Buyiswa Motloenya, said there were delays in the verification of invoices for work undertaken by the department. She promised, however, that the workers will be paid. She added that she was still waiting for the money from the department. “The delay in paying my workers was a result of my dependency on my creditors, but we will be paying the workers when we get money,” she said.

Motloenya said that the project was progressing well. They have finalised the first phase of the environmental assessment. According to her, the project will be completed by November 2013.

The project consists of the establishment of a nursery, laboratory, guard house, medicinal plant garden, research centre, and fencing of the whole facility. There will be also male and female initiation schools at the project. The medicinal plants are used to treat ailments such as coughs, headaches, fever, constipation, and high blood pressure.

On Tuesday, the workers handed a memorandum to Mr Mbilivhili Neluvhola, chairperson of the Vhembe Traditional Healers, on behalf of the CEO of the Trust, Mrs Busyiswa Motleonya. In the memorandum, the workers demand three months’ salary within 14 days working days.

In his response, Neluvhola said that he would pass on the workers’ grievances to the CEO.