*Not only my "obsession". See the item in this NUM Media Release called
"Challenges in the ANCYL". - VC*
*NUM NEC Speaks!*
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) held a two day (21 and 22 July)
National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at Lilieslief to discuss
challenges facing members and the working class in general. Some of the
observations made were the following:
*Challenges in the ANCYL*
The National Executive Committee calls on the ruling African National
Congress to provide decisive leadership on the chaos that involves its
youth wing. It cannot be correct that problems within the ANC Youth
League are left to drag this long as they do impact on the character and
brand of the mother body as well.
* *
*Mine Accidents*
Whilst the NEC acknowledges some positive develoments in relation to
mine health and safety, the NEC is extremely worried by the number of
mining accidents that continue to accelerate in the industry. "We are
concerned that the figures continue rising and thus making the target
for zero fatality elusive" says Frans Baleni, the NUM General Secretary.
* *
*Kumba Iron Ore and Arcelo Mittal*
The NUM is perturbed by the commercial wars between Kumba Iron Ore and
Arcelo Mittal and calls on the two companies to come to their senses and
sort out their differences. "We are worried that these disputes have a
greater possibility of affecting poor and disenfranchised workers as it
is the grass that suffers when elephants fight" says Baleni. The NUM
further welcomed the intervention by the government particularly Trade
and Industry Ministry.
*On the CCMA*
The NEC expressed concern on the partisan manner in which the Commission
for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) handles itself
especially in provinces like Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The NEC calls on
the CCMA Chief Executive to ensure that her officials are seen to be
handling cases in a fair and unbiased manner as failure to do so impacts
on the credibility of the institution and its processes. "We are
particularly worried when a union that does not meet a threshold is
given a certificate to strike" says Baleni.
* *
*On the South African Airways*
The National Union of Mineworkers welcomes the outcome of the probe at
South African Airways by KPMG and support the decision to launch a legal
challenge on the reported fraudulent activities of the Executives of the
time. We call on the SAA board to speed up the process and to ensure
that whoever is found to have benefited from underhand activities is
brought to book.
*HIV/AIDS campaign*
The NUM welcomes the invigorated HIV/AIDS campaign led by the Department
of Health and calls on the members and the nation to help take the
campaign to new heights by volunteering to test to reach a 100% at each
workplace and applying the ABCDE ( Abstain, Be faithful, Condomise,
Disclosure to close family members and Early detection).
*Outstanding monies to Ex-mineworkers*
The NUM cautions the Minister of Labour on the making of general
statements on the outstanding monies to ex-mineworkers. We call for the
identification of companies that owe workers as well as the
identification of the beneficiaries. "Once that is done, the companies
can give the beneficiaries what is due to them" says Baleni.
*National Skills Development Strategy III*
The NUM welcomes the repositioning of education and training through the
National Skills Development Strategy III. We are glad that the strategy
would include a deliberate alignment of Adult Basic Education (ABET),
Skills Programmes and Learnership qualifications and that the skills
audits would be conducted taking into account RPL. The NUM however feels
that the co-signing by labour and management of Workplace Skills Plans
and Annual Training Reports should be a tool for social transformation.
* *
*Eskom*
The NEC calls on Eskom to ensure that a minimum service level agreement
is concluded speedily so that workers' right to strike is protected.
That will also ensure that Eskom does not find itself in a very bad
situation when workers want to go on strike.
* *
*Job Losses*
The NEC expressed concern over job losses in both the construction and
mining industries with Goldfields announcing voluntary separate packages
for thousands of workers and the joblessness that comes with the end of
2010 construction projects.
* *
*SACP 89^th Anniversary*
The National Executive Committee wished the South African Communist
Party, the Vanguard Party a happy 89^th Anniversary and called on the
party to strengthen its corruption busting sting and its campaign
against tenderpreneurship. "We wish the SACP well and it must rest
assured that the workers are behind it at all times" says Baleni.
*Illegal Mineworkers*
The NEC called on the police to strengthen its arm in dealing with the
mafia behind illegal mining. "We believe that illegal mining takes away
criminally what should benefit the country and that it places the lives
of poor workers in danger" says Baleni. "Our police force should
therefore deal decisively with the rot so that at the end of the day it
gets rooted out" he says.
Frans Baleni (NUM General Secretary)- 082 375 6443
Lesiba Seshoka (NUM Spokesman)- 082 803 6719
<http://www.num.org.za/>
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