Taking COSATU Today Forward, 9 June 2022
Norman Mampane
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#2022YearofWorkersParliament #YouthMonth #InternalDemocracy #WorkerControl #EndChildLabour #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness |
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
Thursday, 9 June 2022
‘Deepen
the Back to Basics Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for the NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism’
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- MEDIA ALERT: COSATU Gauteng to hold a Provincial Shop Steward Council
Ø Employment and Labour on Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Act to protect their workers
- South Africa
- POPCRU demands accountability on the unpaid SAPS trainees
Ø SARS and DTIC donate seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- SACP conveys a message of condolences on the death of Comrade Amos Mbulaheni Mbedzi
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
MEDIA ALERT: COSATU Gauteng to hold a Provincial Shop Steward Council
COSATU Gauteng Provincial Secretary: Louisa Modikwe, 09 June 2022
COSATU in Gauteng will convene a Provincial Shop Steward Council (PSSC) in Tshwane to launch a solidarity programme as resolved by the 14th Provincial Congress.
The PSSC will also march to the University of South Africa (UNISA) in solidarity with the dismissed shop stewards. The council will then culminate with the handing over of a memorandum of demands to the university’s management. Details are as follows:
Date: 10 June 2022
Venue: UNISA Main Campus
Time: 10:00 – 13:00
The Provincial Chairperson, Amos Monyela will address the PSSC at 12:00.
Issued by COSATU Gauteng
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Employment and Labour on Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Act to protect their workers
8 Jun 2022
Municipalities implored to comply with Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Act to protect their workers
Out of a total of 267 municipalities registered with the Compensation Fund (CF) only 147 were submitting their returns to the Fund – this conduct exposes millions of workers faced with the risks of occupational hazards to inadequate cover.
Julian Soupen, Chief Director: Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Services at Compensation Fund said the 55 percent compliance rate means that a high number of workers were receiving the short end of the stick due to high levels of non-compliance in the workplaces.
“It is concerning. It means that 45 percent of employers at municipalities were not submitting returns and this means that their employees were not covered for occupational injuries and diseases sustained at work. The implication is that these municipalities are liable for fines and penalties for non-compliance. This is over and above the fees they are obligated to pay to the Fund,” Soupen said.
Soupen said the expectation for employers in terms of the Act is that it needs to be complied with. He further said the CF expects employers to comply by registering, ensure that the fees are fully paid, and the registration is done properly. He warned that if these legislative requirements were not followed, cover for employees will not be adequate.
Soupen was speaking during the joint seminar by the Department of Employment and Labour’s Compensation Fund, the Limpopo Province Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement & Traditional Affairs in collaboration with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). The seminar is targeted at local government custodians in a drive to ensure the protection and health of workers while ensuring that organisations at local government comply with Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.
The two-day seminar at Protea Hotel (The Ranch) is held under the theme: “Compensation Fund working with municipalities on COIDA to protect vulnerable workers”.
Soupen said in as far as the province of Limpopo was concerned – 27 municipalities were registered with the CF and 21 of those were submitting their returns to the Fund. He said the 78 percent compliance rate in the province was commendable. He said it was one of the highest in the country at this level of government, “I wish to commend the leadership of Limpopo Province who are complying in that regard”.
According to Soupen the CF was always willing to engage with its stakeholders to ensure compliance.
The Compensation Fund exists to administer the COID Act. Its main objective is to provide compensation for disability, illness and death resulting from occupational injuries and diseases.
In terms of the COID Act, employers must register with the Compensation Fund and pay an annual assessment fee based on their workers’ earnings and the risks associated with the type of work being done.
Soupen said in terms of legislation there were only nine municipalities in South Africa that were classified as exempted. He said those municipalities that are classified as exempted employers do not have to pay fees to the CF, they are however responsible to keep reserves to meet the costs related to occupational injuries and diseases.
“The reserves that they are expected to keep is assessed and signed off by the CF, and once the Fund is satisfied that the level of reserves held by those municipalities is sufficient to cover the operational costs of occupational injuries and diseases they are issued with certificate of exemption,” he emphasized.
Soupen reminded employers that, “The Act provides for adequate financial assistance to victims of injuries and diseases,” he said that access to immediate medical care was critical. He said this was paramount to an employee who is a victim of injury or disease, “The longer that is prolonged, it puts the health of the employee at risk and it would make treatment of the employee a little difficult. We have found out that in some instances there is a long delay from the time of the incident and the time employees getting medical attention. I wish to implore employers to ensure that when such incidents do happen that priority is given to their employees getting medical care”.
In the period 2019–2022 Soupen said the CF had recorded 1155 claims, and 38 percent of these have been finalized. He said 50 percent of those claims are still outstanding - waiting for information from employers to facilitate the outstanding claims.
Soupen concluded by appealing to municipalities to get in touch with the CF to assist in ensuring compliance. He said a healthy workforce in the region, means that the region is economically viable, self-sufficient and has a healthy work force.
The seminar ends on Thursday (June 9). It is targeted at: Municipal Managers, Chief Financial Officers, Directors Corporate Services & Human Resources Managers/Officers.
For
media enquiries contact:
Hlonitshwa Mpaka
Director CF: Communication & Stakeholder Management
Cell: 072 670 5464
Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour
South Africa
POPCRU demands accountability on the unpaid SAPS trainees
Richard Mamabolo, POPCRU National Spokesperson, 08 June 2022
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has noted with disgust the undue conditions trainees are being subjected to, wherein the current group of trainees are not being treated equally.
There have been reported discrepancies regarding their stipends, with about 545 trainees, majority of those training in Kimberley and Tshwane, not having received their stipends over the past 2 months due to the administrative failure by the Human Resources Management Recruitment Office (HRMRO). This has led to trainees being dissatisfied at training colleges, and is a serious violation of their rights. It is a continuous factor that continues to demoralise them.
It does not make sense that these trainees’ details have been captured, and they have been approved for training and yet their stipends are not recorded. There is clearly some form of foul play underway.
It is concerning that when POPCRU interrogates this matter, there are no answers coming from the HRMRO, confirming that there are discrepancies on the recruitment process of the SAPS which need to urgently e investigated, and those responsible held accountable.
We will not stop until we get to the truth as to why trainees have not received their stipends, as this has affected their ability to even purchase basic hygiene products, all while they continue to be subjected to inhumane living conditions of overcrowded living spaces and bad food diet.
We call upon the National Police Commissioner Fanie Masemola to immediately act of these irregularities in ensuring the affected 545 trainees are compensated, and that there is accountability as to why such discrepancies even occurred in the first place.
Our structures will be picketing at these centres in ensuring there is no stone left unturned on this very sensitive matter.
Issued by POPCRU
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SARS and DTIC donate seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims
8 Jun 2022
SARS and dtic donate tonnes of seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims
SARS and the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (dtic) have joined forces to donate tonnes of seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Eastern Cape, North West, and the Free State provinces.
The initiative, named Project Sizani (We all Help), took shape after the declaration of a state of disaster by Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa in response to the recent heavy rains and flooding in the Eastern Cape, North West, Free State and Kwa-Zulu Natal provinces.
SARS conceived of the idea of making seized clothing, blankets and footwear available, which are strictly regulated by the Customs Act, Act 91 of 1964, administered by SARS, and the Counterfeit Goods Act, administered by the Dtic, as well as a 2009 and 2020 NEDLAC agreement, stipulating that seized goods must be destroyed so as to avoid disruption to the South African market.
It is important to note that SARS, by itself, is not in a position to conduct an operation of this magnitude from a legislative or operational perspective. A raft of engagements and approvals by various key government and other external stakeholders, as well as their direct involvement, were required to make it happen.
This included a “once-off deviation” from the NEDLAC agreement, as agreed upon during a meeting with key stakeholders in the Clothing Textile Footwear and Leather Industry (CTFL) to enable the donation of specific CTFL goods that have been seized and forfeited to SARS to the victims of the severe weather events of April 2022.
Execution of the operation
The execution of the operation is led by a Governance Task Team (GTT), established for this purpose. This team works in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Committee to obtain information and direction on matters of common interest, as well as to align the efforts of the donations of the goods with the bigger government led project. The GTT is responsible for overseeing the process flow and to ensure that the donated goods are duly accounted for. The distribution is strictly monitored through the close working relationship at ground level with the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the current shelters that are housing people.
Inputs from the KZN Premier’s Office were used to develop the donations operational plan, which sets out the principles governing the process of donations such as quantities proportionate to the confirmed numbers of the people in need, as well as governance processes to protect the entire donations value chain.
In addition, the provincial department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through its disaster management structures, played a leading role in preparations for the donations process, while the involvement of organised labour and the CTFL industry, as key stakeholders, are deemed necessary in every step of the project to monitor the processes and ensure any risks that may harm the local business are mitigated. The South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA) assisted with the transport of the containers to the warehouse in Durban, from where distribution takes place.
Pilot programme
Due to the critical need for blankets in eThekwini, the roll-out of a pilot programme for the donations started in KZN last week. During the seven-day pilot approximately 1612 blankets are being donated to specific flood victims at shelters in eThekwini, as identified by the KZN Premier’s Office. In total altogether 35 806 seized blankets/duvets are earmarked for distribution across the affected disaster areas in the country.
The process of engagement with Eastern Cape and North West have started and is intended to be a replica of the KZN operations.
SARS Commissioner Mr Edward Kieswetter thanked all Government Departments that have collaborated to deliver such a sizeable contribution to assist the victims of floods. He said, “We hope and trust that this gesture of goodwill will go a long in mitigating suffering that was brought about by this natural calamity. The blankets, especially now during winter, will a make difference to all”.
· For enquiries or interviews, please contact SARS...@sars.gov.za
· To arrange a photo opportunity, please contact Mhlaba Memela, spokesperson for the KZN Department of Social Development at mhlaba.m...@kzndsd.gov.za.
Issued by GCIS on behalf of SARS
Issued by: Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
International-Solidarity
SACP conveys a message of condolences on the death of Comrade Amos Mbulaheni Mbedzi
7 June 2022
The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its deepest condolences to the family of Comrade Amos Mbulaheni Mbedzi. Mbedzi passed away on Tuesday, 7 June 2022, in Polokwane.
The SACP also sends its condolences to the South African liberation movement for the great loss encountered. Comrade Amos Mbedzi served our democratic movement diligently as a member of the SACP, the ANC and the joint SACP and ANC liberation army, Umkhonto weSizwe (MK).
The ruling Swazi regime arrested him in September 2008 and later unjustly convicted and sentenced him to 85 years’ imprisonment, comprising concurrent sentences. On the same day when he was arrested, he had lost his two comrades, Comrade Musa “MJ” Dlamini, a member of People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) of Swaziland, and Comrade Jack Govender, a member of the SACP, who was also a founding member of the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN).
Mbedzi was still serving his prison sentence at the time of his death, having been transferred to South Africa by the cruel regime of Mswati in March 2022 after depriving him of access to healthcare for a long time, resulting in his health and wellbeing deteriorating. The regime of the absolute monarch transferred Mbedzi “to complete his sentence in South Africa” after realising that its intransigent decision to deprive him of healthcare had caused ultimate deterioration in his health and wellbeing.
However, being ruthless, with a do-not-care approach to human rights, Mswati’s autocratic regime did not transfer Mbedzi to South Africa without consistent public pressure, among others by the SACP, Congress of South African Trade Unions, PUDEMO, the Communist Party of Swaziland, the SSN, the Young Communist League of South Africa, as well as by other human rights organisations and concerned people. Mswati’s courts are not independent. They are under the iron fist of the absolute monarch. Because of this, they had no slightest intention of releasing Mbedzi on humanitarian grounds considering his deteriorating health and wellbeing.
An internationalist till the end, South Africa’s 1994 democratic breakthrough did not deter Comrade Amos Mbedzi from contributing to the struggle for a just world. He linked up with democracy activists from Swaziland, primarily PUDEMO, to provide international solidarity to the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy and complete social emancipation. During his life, he also contributed to spreading the SSN, led by its chairperson, Comrade Solly Mapaila, the SACP First Deputy General Secretary, across the length and breadth of South Africa.
The SACP also conveys its message of condolences to the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy and complete social emancipation, as well as the SSN, and urges them to continue the struggle for freedom, in memory of Comrade Amos Mbedzi. It was for his solidarity with the people of Swaziland struggling for democracy and complete social emancipation that the regime of the absolute monarch in Swaziland systematically produced Mbedzi’s death.
The SACP was an active part of the Save Amos Mbedzi Campaign launched in September 2012 to call for his release and that of all other unjustly incarcerated political prisoners in Swaziland. The SACP took part in many protest actions over the years, consistently calling for Comrade Mbedzi’s release. We reiterate our strong condemnation of the violation of his human rights by the Swaziland authorities. It is their violation of Mbedzi’s human rights, which directly led to his death.
The SACP calls for justice for Comrade Amos Mbedzi and his comrades, as well as for all other unjustly incarcerated political prisoners and the people of Swaziland.
In memory of Comrade Amos Mbedzi, the SACP will continue to support the struggle by the people of Swaziland for the unconditional release of all political prisoners and unbanning of all political parties, freedom of speech, freedom of association, and political and other rights.
This includes supporting the call for unconditional return of all political exiles, as well as the recognition and respect for people’s rights to freedom of assembly, association, movement and speech, including free media.
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
EST. 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA | CPSA
1921–2021: 100 YEARS OF UNBROKEN STRUGGLE
PUT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT
SOCIALISM IS THE FUTURE—BUILD IT NOW!
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348