Juba, South Sudan, June 04, 2021 – The DeputyMayor of Juba City Council Thiik Thiik Mayardit has threatened to respond with a legal action against the Vigilance Security Service (VSS) company for dragging his name into the administrative wrangle within the company.
Mr. Thiik says in a letter dated 1st June 2021, the security company accused him of engaging in unwarranted and inappropriate interference in its managerial decisions.
According to details obtained by Nyamilepedia, the letter was carbon-copied to officials serving at senior levels in both civil and military grids of the government in a move that could attract some security threats to the Deputy Mayor.
In another reputation-damaging twist, Thiik says the same letter was further carbon-copied to members of the diplomatic community accredited to the Republic of South Sudan.
VSS is reportedly at crossroads with its employees, particularly the South Sudanese workers who are accusing the company of a modern slavery-like treatment ranging from poor remunerations to sexual harassment.
Thiik says he was brought into the picture for his opposition on advocacy for workers’ rights and a desperate attempt by the VSS management to divert the attention of the public from the real employees’ concerns it is adamantly refusing to address.
“VSS accusation against me comes from its labor disputes with its employees that turn violent on 1st June 2021. My name was dragged into this saga for two principal reasons and it was done with intent to dodge the responsibility of the issue at hand,” he said in a statement extended to Nyamilepedia.
“I am being crucified here for my previous advocacy for workers’ rights, which put me on a collision course with Warrior (now Insight) Security Company. Another reason is my blood relations with the president, which the VSS is using to portray me as an influential peddler,” Thiik explained.
“Further, by adding me to this disputes, VSS wants me to be the topic of discussion and not their exploitation of their workforce. Why accused me before this incident has been investigated by relevant authorities?” he questioned.
The Deputy Mayor says the rush to point fingers at him was a prove he is being scapegoated as a way of relegating workers’ rights to the bottom of the agenda.
Thiik lashed out at VSS and other private companies. He said, genuine and successful companies invest in their employees, not in racket protection to silence workers.
“Any investment whose sole aim is company’s bottom-line and protection money of Nas Kubar (elites) at the expense of men and women whose company’s profit depends on, is tantamount to servitude, something all South Sudanese must reject.
“For the rule of law, it goes both ways, the law protects all from adverse machinations, including wanton exploitation of humans by another human or even from the Company,” Thiik stated.
“These are the principles I have championed across the board because I believe our people cannot progress if we permit and subject them to foreign exploitation,” he said.
The Deputy Mayor clarified that holding these views does not mean he incited the workers of VSS Security.
“This is far from the truth. The real issue is VSS’s failure to cater to its workers’ welfare, something all South Sudanese should be concerned about. I urge all members of the public not to take the bait on this and remain vigilant on the protection of workers’ rights. Having clarified this, I am ready to take other available avenues, including legal action to clear my name,” he said.
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Thiik Thiik is continually using and misusing name of President Kiir to intimidate all those who work hard in the economy , from market traders to security companies and all . He has attacked foreigners using proxies and always says my relative will never sack me ! Is this good for foreign investment ? What if South Sudanese are beaten over seas due to actions of Thiik Thiik Mayardit ??Can he protect those he endangers in Nairobi, Kampala , or Eritrea or Ethiopia for example ? He should be sacked as a rogue uneducated thug that he is .