“That’s Exploitation”: Car Guards Expose Employer’s R150 Daily Demand for Tips Earned, SA Outraged

• A local influencer was approached by two car guards outside a Gqeberha mall, seeking her help to expose their employer, who forces them to pay up to R150 in daily 'rent' instead of receiving a salary
• The disturbing video was shared on TikTok, showcasing the car guards' uniforms and detailing the exhaustion caused by the exploitative scheme, exposing how car guards are exploited for their work.
• Social media users were heartbroken and outraged, calculating the employer's profit to be around R4,500 per guard monthly and condemning the greedy company owner

A shocking video, shared by popular content creator, widely known as Babes Wamachankura, shed light on an alleged scheme of exploitation targeting car guards at a mall in Gqeberha.

The clip shared by TikTok user @chwayitaxwayi garnered massive views, likes, and comments from an outraged online community that promised never to leave a parking lot without paying the car guards.

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The influencer was approached directly by two car guards who requested that she use her platform to expose the unjust working conditions imposed by their employer. The men, displaying the company name on their uniforms, revealed that their employer does not provide them with a monthly salary. Instead, they are allegedly required to pay the company a fixed daily fee, or rent ranging from R100 to R150, simply for the privilege of working in the parking lot. The guards explained that they get into trouble when they fail to meet this daily target and often have to cover their shortfalls using the next day.

Car guards allegedly forced to pay to work

When TikTok user @chwayitaxwayi asked if the owner rented the space from the mall, the guards stated they only knew the owner had a contract with the mall management, using this to justify the high fees extracted from the workers, regardless of tips. One of them detailed the devastation toll this system takes on their lives. He recounted being released from work as late as 21:30 a few days prior, causing him to miss his last bus and only arriving home after 01:00 in the morning. He stated that he was expected back at work by 04:30, meaning he had effectively not slept in two days and was barely able to afford his transport costs. He also described an incident where his boss allegedly intervened to prevent him from securing a second job as a trolley porter, cementing the guard's dependence on the exploitative system.

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SA reacts to the car guards’ allegations

The clip went viral, garnering 467K views, 29K likes, and over 1,500 comments from disturbed social media users. Many viewers were heartbroken by the revelations, pledging they would never leave the parking lot without offering guards something. Some calculated the alleged monthly rent paid to the boss, estimating it to be around R4,500 per guard, per month and condemned the greedy company owner for putting people through such hardship. The post sparked a wider conversation, with many users alleging that this kind of exploitation is common for car guards and calling for the companies involved to be identified and exposed.

User @Swazi Maziya said:

"That's exploitation. This needs to be reported."

User @cwenga|youtuber shared:

"This is heartbreaking 😞."

User @KhoTechs commented:

"Someone please tag the Independent Commission for Human Rights 😭💔."

User @Sihle Qoko added:

"I will never leave the parking lot without tipping 😭."

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User @zenkaulumtshabe said:

"That’s 4500 a month, yhuuu."

User @Baker_Boy shared:

"Most car guards pay such a fee to their employers, which is absolutely insane and wrong."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about Gqeberha

• A content creator shared a shocking ranking of South Africa’s five most dangerous cities based strictly on the available murder rates per 100,000 people, according to the 2025 report, and Gqeberha came first.
• A man from Gqeberha embarked on an incredible walk to Cape Town to raise funds and awareness for his organisation, Broski, moving many viewers.
• A traffic officer in Gqeberha was filmed at a busy intersection entertaining motorists with his sleek and joyful dance moves while directing traffic.

Source: Briefly News