Taking COSATU Today Forward, 25 March 2015
Norman Mampane
Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Mao
Our side of the story
Wednesday 25 March 2015
‘Strengthen COSATU for total emancipation.....The Struggle continues’
Contents
Workers Parliament
Ø UIF creates and saves jobs-Parliament hears
Ø NEDLAC has a vacancy of a Senior Accountant for a 3-months temporary position
Ø Global Labour University launches free online course
Ø Thongathi (Tongaat) Mall Structural Collapse Commission of Inquiry closes the curtain with submission of closing arguments
South Africa
Ø COSATU NW and the Alliance going back to the toll gate
International
Ø South Africa mourns the death of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Workers’ Parliament! #MinimumWages
UIF creates and saves jobs-Parliament hears
The Department of Labour, 25 March 2015
The Department of Labours’ (DoL) Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has saved and created more than 51 000 jobs so far , the portfolio committee on labour was told today ( Wednesday)
An amount of R4 billion was invested in Job Creation Projects and at the same time 51 000 have been created and saved. At the same period, 91 per cent of claims with complete information was approved or rejected within five weeks of application in the fund’s operational systems by December 2014. A total of 11 9999 claims were submitted through U-Filing claim’s portal by December of the same year, Boas Seruwe, UIF Commissioner told the committee in Cape Town.
“All claims rejected are due to claimants not registered by employers and the average rejection rate is 3 per cent,” Seruwe continued.
This is amidst the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant’s launch of nine initiatives schemes which have so far recruited 4535 learners of which 3 000 have already completed their training. The Training is in the areas of Artisan Development and Information Communication Technology amongst others.
The UIF was presenting its Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2020 as well as its Annual Performance Plan for 2015/16 Financial Year to the committee.
Commissioner Seruwe kicked off his presentation by reiterating the UIF’s mission and vision which are contribute to the alleviation of poverty by providing effective short term unemployment insurance as well as rendering effective accessible service to all stakeholders and administering the fund professionally.
Hilda Mhlongo, Chief Director: Corporate Services at the Fund, said “we want to increase U-Filing uptake by 20 per cent in the 2015/16 financial year”
U-Filing is a system that enables employees to apply for UIF benefits on-line. Employers can also use the system to register their companies and employees.
Despite the reduction in employees and employers’ contributions announced at the National Budget, the UIF has financial asset of R112 billion in investments, the Commissioner told the Committee.
Established in terms of Section 4 (1) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 36 of 2001 as amended, the UIF provides cushion for the unemployed for a period not exceeding eight months.
Issued by the Department of Labour Communication Directorate:
For more information contact
Mokgadi Pela
Acting Departmental Spokesman
082 808 2168
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NEDLAC has a vacancy of a Senior Accountant for a 3-months temporary position
The successful candidate will provide an effective and efficient finance support service to the CFO.
Key Performance areas
Finance
Ø preparation of quarterly reports
Ø preparation of audit files
Ø assisting in preparation of financial statements
Ø assisting in fanilizing reconciliations for year end
Ø assisting in the implementation of audit recommendations
Ø performing other ad hoc projects as requested by the CFO
Requirements
Ø BCom Accounting
Ø 3 years post articles experience
Ø knowledge of and experience in PFMA
Ø Knowledge of and experience in CaseWare and Pastel
Ø deep knowledge of GAAP as well as International Accounting standards
Interested applicants are requested to send their CV’s to recru...@nedlac.org.za by no later than 1 April 2015
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Global Labour University launches free online course
IndustriALL, 25 Mar 2015
The Global Labour University has launched a free online course on Workers’ Rights in a Global Economy aimed at trade unionists and activists.
The six-week Massive Open Online Course begins on 1 June 2015 and will explain global workers’ rights as well as outline the instruments and strategies that can be used to implement them.
Based on a mix of video lectures, readings, online resources and interviews with activists and labour scholars from around the world, participants will gain both knowledge and practical skills for furthering workers’ rights worldwide.
The course, which brings together labour expertise from around the world, has been jointly developed with Global Labour University’s partner institutions, the Bureau for Workers’ Activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and both national and global trade unions.
Participants will gain an insight into the history and concept of global workers’ rights and the institutional structure of the ILO as the key player in setting International Labour Standards. They will also gain an understanding of the concepts behind the fundamental rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining.
The course will look at the different approaches for realizing decent work in the informal economy and gain an overview of instruments and initiatives beyond the ILO.
To find out more and how to enrol click here. https://iversity.org/en/courses/workers-rights-in-a-global-economy
Watch a short trailer for an overview of the course:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u8dpMVfFh0
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Thongathi (Tongaat) Mall Structural Collapse Commission of Inquiry closes the curtain with submission of closing arguments
The Department of Labour, 25 March 2015
The Thongathi (Tongaat) Mall Structural Collapse Commission of Inquiry will on Friday (March 27) host a session in which legal representatives of various parties will be expected to table their closing arguments – closing the curtain to the more than-a-year-long inquiry.
The Inquiry is expected to hear the closing arguments of legal representatives of various parties with an interest in the collapse of the Mall. These include: the contractor/owner; engineer; eThekwini Municipality; and the workers represented by the Department of Labour.
The session on the closing arguments will be held on Friday (March 27) at 08:45am.
However, this will be preceded by a closed-door meeting on Thursday (March 26) between the commissioners of the Department of Labour-appointed Commission of Inquiry and officials from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
The purpose of the meeting is to familiarise the NPA with complex process that were applied during the contractual and construction stages of the Tongaat Mall;
· To enable the office of the NPA to view the actual construction site before it is handed over to the client, which will ease the understanding of the construction terminology and vocabulary used during design, construction and inquiry phases;
· To listen to closing arguments that will be presented by the parties involved during the inquiry.
After the said meeting, the commissioner will make arrangements with the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions to submit the final report with recommendations, a process that is expected to take about 60 days.
The commission is also planning to take officials from the NPA to the site of the collapsed Mall after the meeting.
The Thongathi Mall Commission of Inquiry was appointed following the structural collapse of the mall that was still under construction on the 19th of November 2013. The collapse led to the death of two workers and injury to 29.
The Section 32 hearing, was instituted by the Department of Labour in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act - to gather evidence on negligence that may have resulted in occupational injuries and death of workers.
The Inquiry is chaired by Phumudzo Maphaha (photo attached), assisted by co-presiding officers Sandile Kubheka and Lennie Samuel.
Both this week’s meetings/briefings will take place at the North Coast Town’s (Tongaat) Municipal offices.
Issued by the Department of Labour Communication Directorate:
For more information contact
Mokgadi Pela
Acting Departmental Spokesman
082 808 2168
South Africa
COSATU NW and the Alliance going back to the toll gate
Solly Phetoe, COSATU NW Provincial Secretary, 25 March 2015
The Congress of South African Trade Unions, jointly with the alliance, is going back to the expensive toll gate at Swartruggens to continue with its program to put pressure to our own government to implement their resolution on reducing the fees at the Swartruggens toll gate which is the most expensive toll gate in the RSA.
It is on record that our provincial government and legislature of the NW resolved in 2014 that the toll fees must be reduced from R75 to R58 and that there must be a flat rate for everyone who use the toll gate, that the matter of extending the radius must be discussed in the task team meeting which includes the discount of the areas surrounding Zeerust, Groot Marico and Kgetleng, and that it must cover everybody, not only farmers who have been benefiting from day one of the toll gate by paying R3,R4 and R17 as per the discount arrangement which excluded poor farm workers in particular.
We call on all workers and all motorists to support our action as it benefits them also.
Sanral and Bakwena making a lot of money, while poor communities benefit nothing from the toll gate or from the current construction project that is taking place on the N4 road. Only people from outside the NW province are benefiting. There is no social responsibility that is taking workers and community out of poverty, while capitalists such as Bakwena are making lots of profit using the African name.
We are going back to the expensive toll gate on 27th March 2015, calling on the provincial government to implement its decisions as per the premier’s pronouncement during his state of the province address on 6th March 2015.
We call on the ministerial task team to be convened by the office of the Minister of Transport to deal with implementation of the matter. The task team must meet to deal with the outstanding issues and to make sure that we conclude our program. We have been meeting in the task team since 2012 and we are not making any progress except only the pronouncement by provincial government that they agree with COSATU and the alliance to reduce the toll fee, but we want action.
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=10194#sthash.2EZeG1gG.
International
South Africa mourns the death of Singapore’s founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation, 24 March 2015
The South African Government was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Singapore’s founding father and Prime Minister from 1956 to 1990, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, on 22 March 2015.
South Africa mourns the death of a great Asian leader who spearheaded the transformation of Singapore from a tiny port city to the prosperous international financial, business and transport hub that it is today.
The South African Government extends its most sincere condolences to the Government and People of Singapore in this moment of sadness and grief.
Issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Announcements
Enabling COSATU Members to Tweet Effectively
NB: @cosatu2015 has been revamped and now it’s @COSATU2015_
Introduction to COSATU Official Twitter Accounts
Ø @COSATU2015_
Official tweets on current affairs, ideological disposition and for a Question & Answer platform
Ø @COSATU TODAY @_cosatu
Seconds- COSATU roving official tweets on events, quotable sound-bites on speeches/interviews, newsflash etc.
How to Register a COSATU Member Twitter Account
Ø Go Google and type twitter/sign up
Ø Versions of name/surname must be completed
Ø Choose a username/password and don’t forget them
Ø Update your profile; picture, bio
o Picture size should be 700k
o Bio-short narrative who you are
Ø Examples of Bio; Africa's largest Federation Official tweets, the home of the toiling classes across the world, with more than 2million membership...Amandla! Johannesburg, South Africa · http://www.cosatu.org.za
Ø Choose who to follow and type @COSATU2015_ and @COSATU TODAY @_cosatu
Ø And you’re skinning in the game through COSATU tweets
Communicating messages that matter is like artwork
Social Media generation is here and is unavoidable
‘Let’s skin in the game of COSATU Tweets’
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Ntai Norman Mampane (Communications Officer)
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 or Direct: +27 10 219-1342
Mobile: +27 72 416 3790
Twitter: @_cosatu / @COSATU2015_
Web: www.cosatu.org.za
‘The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles’-The Communist Manifesto
