Feathers fly at Daybreak Foods – whistle-blower points finger at compliance chiefs

13 May 2025

As the Daybreak Foods crisis unfolds, new allegations have surfaced over the role of senior compliance officers in the company’s collapse.

An anonymous whistle-blower has raised concerns previously absent from public reports – the actions and decisions of company veterinarian Dr Chrissie Makwiti and safety, health, environment and quality head Lettie Rangaka.

Their actions may have directly contributed to the disaster now gripping one of South Africa’s largest poultry producers.

Meanwhile, Daybreak workers were left high and dry after a meeting with Public Investment Corporation (PIC) CEO Abel Sithole yielded nothing new on Thursday, 13 May.

Foul play in the boardroom

“Lettie Rangaka and Dr Chrissie Makwiti should be investigated for their role in this crisis,” the whistle-blower told Daily Maverick.

“Several bad decisions were made by the two, which cost the company millions of rands and [they] were never brought to book.

The whistle-blower further alleged that numerous corners had been cut and undocumented concessions approved by the two, allowing sub-standard products to be processed – a practice that led to the loss of major clients as a consequence of unresolved complaints.

Both Makwiti and Rangaka hold critical responsibilities for ensuring regulatory compliance, animal welfare standards and the integrity of food production processes. The whistle-blower claims these executives were specifically appointed to manage compliance issues, report non-compliance to authorities and implement corrective actions on behalf of Daybreak Foods – duties they allegedly failed to uphold.

Echoing these concerns, a current Daybreak employee who preferred to remain anonymous told Daily Maverick that the allegations “could be true”, revealing that workers had formally requested a forensic investigation into the company’s affairs.

Following a request for further details about the information in the tip-off, Daybreak’s corporate affairs specialist Nokwazi Ngcongo said the company became aware of the allegations only through Daily Maverick’s inquiry.

“The company takes these matters seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation. We encourage transparency and accountability through our Speak Up line, managed by an external service provider, which allows employees and the public to report concerns.”

She said it would help if Daily Maverick could provide the company with specifics, or details of the tip off, “for example, what exactly transpired and when”, so that Daybreak could begin an investigation or check if this had been reported on the Speak Up line. “Once the investigation is complete, we’ll be able to provide a comprehensive response.”

DA demands answers

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has issued a strongly worded statement demanding an urgent and comprehensive investigation into Daybreak’s operations.

The party called out the widespread labour abuse, animal cruelty and governance failures at the publicly funded company, owned by the PIC on behalf of entities including the Government Employees’ Pension Fund and the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

“Even more concerning are the human and ethical costs,” the DA said.

“Workers have reportedly gone unpaid, leaving families in crisis, while animals are allegedly being kept in unacceptable and inhumane conditions.”

“This is not just financial mismanagement – it is a collapse of accountability, governance and basic decency,” the DA statement said.

The party highlighted the mass euthanisation of more than 350,000 chickens under horrific conditions – a move reportedly necessitated by starvation and overcrowding. The SPCA described the culling as “traumatic”.

Read more: Inside Daybreak — hunger, silence, bullets and betrayal at Delmas chicken farms

The DA has called on the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) to launch an immediate probe into the PIC’s role and oversight failures.

The party also pointed to earlier red flags: the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of impropriety at the PIC previously flagged Daybreak’s acquisition as potentially irregular, citing the PIC’s shareholding exceeding the 30% investment threshold.

A Public Access to Information Act (Paia) application has now been submitted by the DA, compelling the National Treasury to disclose steps taken to implement the commission’s enforcement recommendations.

“We support public investments that uplift communities, protect workers and grow the economy,” the DA said. “However, we will not stand by while public funds are wasted, employees are mistreated and animals suffer.”

Read more: How Daybreak’s chickens came home to roost

The man, the myth, the management mess

The current employee who spoke to Daily Maverick shed light on the backstory: “The word on the street is that we are in this mess because when Richard Manzini joined the company, he fired Maemo Security, which took him to court and won. After that, Manzini hired Fidelity, [which] has now also taken Daybreak to court for non-payment.”

The employee said workers wanted the return of previous CEO Boas Seruwe. “We as workers still say they should bring him back, even on a short-term contract, just to show them how to run Daybreak properly,” the employee said.

Criticising current leadership, the employee said that the team under Manzini didn’t understand the people or the processes. The employee said some came from companies such as Coca-Cola and had no clue about farming.

“What we need are people who understand farms, dispatch and how to handle chickens properly until the chickens become a product,” the employee told Daily Maverick.

Same script, different stage

According to the employee, the PIC has reiterated the same information it released to the media.

The engagement with the PIC comes amid ongoing legal and operational turmoil at Daybreak, including an urgent court order obtained by the NSPCA to halt inhumane culling and starvation of nearly 600,000 birds, and the board chairperson’s recent resignation following worker strikes over unpaid wages.

Read more: NSPCA secures urgent court order while Daybreak chair flies coop with R625,000 payout

“Daybreak has, however, not communicated with us,” the employee said, highlighting that they remained in the dark about unpaid salaries and UIF documentation.

In response to ongoing concerns, the PIC told Daily Maverick it was considering options to bring stability to the company.

“Engagements with PIC clients, the Daybreak board and other stakeholders will continue, and any further outcomes will be communicated when approved,” said PIC spokesperson Adrian Lackay.

The employee said the Department of Labour had promised to meet workers on Thursday, 15 May to discuss plans to lodge a formal case against Daybreak and to provide updates on assistance with Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) claims.

About 3,400 workers remain unpaid for the month of April, with many demanding that the company hand them the documentation required to claim for UIF compensation to cover the salary shortfall. They have been left struggling to survive.

As calls for accountability mount, the spotlight remains on Daybreak Foods’ management, the PIC’s investment decisions and the government’s response to what is fast becoming a full-blown crisis. DM

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Business Maverick

Foul play in the boardroom

DA demands answers

The man, the myth, the management mess

Same script, different stage