Coca-Cola SA To Cut 680 Jobs As Bloemfontein And East London Plants Shut Down

Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) is embarking on a large-scale restructuring process that could see more than 680 jobs lost nationwide.

According to SABC News, the company cited financial pressures as the driving factor behind the decision. Documents obtained by the broadcaster reveal that CCBSA has committed to offering affected employees a “generous separation package.”

Bloemfontein and East London Plants to Close

As part of the restructuring, Coca-Cola Beverages SA will shut down its production facilities in Bloemfontein and East London.

The closures mark one of the company’s most significant operational shifts in recent years, with job losses expected to impact workers and surrounding communities.

FAWU Challenges Retrenchments at the CCMA

The decision has drawn strong criticism from the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU). Deputy General-Secretary Edwin Mabowa accused the company of bypassing proper consultation channels.

“Before we can even have our first meeting with the CCMA, the company is going behind our backs and consulting with the employees individually or otherwise to an extent that they are telling you that first phase and the second phase is completed.

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“According to the union, there is no first and second phase,” Mabowa said.

Mabowa confirmed that the CCMA process will begin on Friday, 19 September 2025, where the union intends to challenge the retrenchments.

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