 Cosatu says Nzimande right to fight court ruling THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) yesterday said it fully supported Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande’s decision to appeal against the Johannesburg Labour Court’s ruling which concluded that he lacked the authority to impose a new constitution and council on the services sectoral education and training authority (Services Seta). Johannesburg Labour Court Judge David Gush on Wednesday reserved judgment on a second application by Services Seta CEO Ivor Blumenthal, this time against the transfer of the contents of the entity’s bank account to the National Skills Fund, which has a R1bn budget deficit. The Services Seta has a annual budget of about R1bn. Cosatu spokesman Mugwena Maluleke said the federation’s public service unions were "concerned" that Labour Court Judge Annelie Basson had not seriously considered the issue before her. Also, the judgment was not in the interest of SA’s poor majority. Judge Basson ruled on Tuesday that Mr Nzimande had no authority to impose a new constitution on the Services Seta or to appoint former African National Congress office bearer Sihle Moon as the Seta’s new chairman. In turn, Mr Moon had no authority to suspend Mr Blumenthal, she ruled. Mr Maluleke said Mr Blumenthal was attempting to block the much- needed transformation of the Setas, and Judge Basson’s ruling would be contested by Cosatu unions in the public service "because we view Mr Blumenthal’s legal challenge as part of an anti-transformation liberal offensive that is trying to defend and maintain the status quo". Mr Blumenthal said he did not know how asking the minister to follow his own legislation and respect the law was anti-transformational. [email protected] -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] . |
