Izusa Carriers management, including Eben Bisson and several senior staff members, were prevented from leaving the company’s Hectorspruit depot overnight after employees blockaded the premises, demanding payment of outstanding wages as fears of liquidation intensify.
According to Bisson, the standoff began on Friday when workers used company trucks to block all entry and exit points at the depot, demanding that no company assets leave the premises before they are paid.
Employees then held a night vigil, insisting that management remain on site until their concerns over unpaid salaries and benefits were addressed.
Workers Demand Full Payment as Trust Breaks Down
Employees who spoke to SA Trucker on condition of anonymity said they no longer trust management and fear they could lose everything if the company is liquidated.
“We have lost trust. If this company goes into liquidation, we lose everything,” one employee said. “They haven’t paid our provident fund for over a year. Now they are telling us to wait again.”
Workers say uncertainty around their April salaries and outstanding provident fund contributions pushed them to take action.
Business Rescue Collapse Fuels Tensions
The situation follows recent developments in the company’s ongoing business rescue process. Earlier this month, creditors rejected two separate business rescue plans circulated by practitioners, significantly increasing the likelihood of liquidation or a structured wind-down.
While no formal liquidation application has yet been filed, employees say the rejection of the plans has left them fearing the worst.
Partial Payment Offer Rejected
In an attempt to resolve the standoff, the company proposed a partial payment arrangement during negotiations on Friday.
Read | Izusa Carriers on Brink of Liquidation After Creditors Reject Rescue Plans
“The company offers to pay R5,000 as a part payment of the salaries. We can still make payment of R5,000 by 09h00 tomorrow. The rest of the salaries will be paid by 30 April,” management said in discussions with employees.
Workers rejected the offer, demanding full payment and guarantees that all outstanding obligations would be settled.
BRPs Issue Assurances on Salaries and Assets
Business rescue practitioners (BRPs) also communicated with employees, assuring them that salaries would be paid in full by 30 April 2026, along with outstanding provident fund contributions.
In correspondence seen by SA Trucker, the practitioners further stated:
“The BRPs will not authorise any removal of trucks or trailers from the premises of Izusa, save for the MAN Financial Services assets recoverable in terms of a court order, until such time as the salaries of employees are paid in full.”
This follows the repossession of certain trucks by MAN Financial Services earlier in the week, which appears to have heightened tensions among workers.
Situation Remains Unresolved
As of 06:00 on Saturday morning, management was still on site, with employees maintaining their presence at the depot. It remains unclear how the situation will be resolved.
The incident highlights the growing pressure within Izusa Carriers as uncertainty deepens around its financial position, with unpaid wages, job security, and the future of the business all hanging in the balance.
With hundreds of livelihoods at stake, the coming days are likely to be critical in determining whether the company can stabilise or moves closer to liquidation.
For now, the trucks remain parked, and so do the livelihoods that depend on them.
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