NUM KwaZulu-Natal 2018 year-end media statement.
20 December 2018
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in KwaZulu-Natal wants to take this opportunity to express best wishes to all members, their families across the KwaZulu-Natal Region and wish them Merry Christmas as well the prosperous New Year. 2018 has been a very difficult and challenging year to our members and their families.
Retrenchment was our biggest challenge in KwaZulu-Natal in the year 2018, more than eight branches embarked on retrenchments. The most affected sector was the construction sector followed by the mining sector while in the energy sector we are having sleepless nights following threats from the Minister of Energy and signing of IPPs. NUM is still waiting for a formal response from Eskom following a memorandum submitted on the 18th November 2018. These retrenchments contribute to unemployment figures in the province, which is currently sitting at 40,9% and national unemployment is sitting at 27.5%.
We are concerned that the reason for these retrenchments are driven by making a high profit making at the expense of our members and as a result, more families are driven to live below the poverty line. We, therefore, call upon the Department of Labour, Department of Economic and Development in the province and Department of Minerals Resources to relook at what led to these retrenchments in the province.
"We are very much concerned that even collective bargaining in 2018 was a contest platform for many companies. Every time we table our demands companies were citing economic crises as a hindrance to offering better wage increase but when we demand audited financial records the very same companies refuse sharing with us those records. We want to put it on record that in 2019 we will expose all the culprits and we will do whatever it takes to express our frustrations until our concerns are heard," said Muzikayise Zakwe, NUM KwaZulu-Natal Regional Secretary.
"On health and safety, NUM is concerned that big companies in the province are employing many workers through subcontractors and when those sub-contractors are compromising safety, then the very same big companies turn a blind eye to the owners of those sub-contractors. We, therefore, call for both Department of Labour and Department of Minerals Resources to act decisively against companies that are putting our member’s lives at risk. NUM will leave no stone unturned to all employers who are endangering our member’s lives on occupationally," Zakwe added.
On children and women related matters, NUM wants to put its position categorically clear that we condemn any form of abuse and violence directed to children and women in this country particularly in the province of KwaZulu Natal. We, therefore, call upon the government not to give bail to those found on the wrong side of the law until their cases are dealt with by the court of law and the final judgement is given.
On education, NUM wants to put it on record that it is our expectation that every year’s matric pass rate should improve and tertiary pass rate must improve as well. We believe that both Departments of Basic Education and the Department of Higher education did the best they could to ensure a good pass rate for 2018. We, therefore, wish all matriculates and tertiary students all the best in 2018. We believe that a good pass rate in 2018 will be a good celebration of Tata Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu Centenary.
To every NUM members, we want to say, The struggle continues, drive safe and don’t drink and drive, when you are working, work safely. Merry Christmas and Happy New year.
Issued by Muzikayise Zakwe, KZN Regional Secretary, NUM, 20 December 2018
