Solidarity announces rescue plan for former Aurora employees: Solidarity appeals to the community to become involved
A special task team of the Solidarity Movement, consisting of representatives of the trade union, Solidarity, the civil rights initiative, AfriForum, and Solidarity Helping Hand today announced a six point rescue plan aimed at uplifting former employees of Aurora Empowerment Systems who, at the hands of this company, have been plunged into the stranglehold of severe poverty. According to the Solidarity Movement the assistance and contribution from everyone in the community will, however, be required for the project to be successful, because it is not only former employers who have been plunged into the crisis, but also some 40 000 dependants.
According to Gideon du Plessis, Solidarity's deputy general secretary, with this rescue plan the Solidarity Movement wants to accomplish a turnaround in the crisis Aurora's mismanagement has caused in the Springs and Orkney communities, and which has been ongoing for more than two years. "The rescue plan will not only attempt to alleviate the plight of the Aurora community in the short term, but will also empower the community to rise from the abyss into which they were plunged and to get back onto their own feet again", Du Plessis explains.
The rescue plan includes:
- The collection of arrears in salaries and benefits
- Short-term relief efforts
- Assistance with job seeking through the portal WerkNet
- A major fundraising effort in support of the Aurora emergency fund
- Empowerment through training
- Undertaking an environmental impact study and the identification of safety risks for the community
"For more than two years the Movement has been providing short-term relief in the form of regular food hampers and the provision of clothing to the community, while the trade union recently served a liquidation application on Aurora to force the company to pay outstanding salaries and benefits to its former employees," Du Plessis states. "It is, however, not sustainable to focus on short-term relief only. For this reason, in the weeks to come we will be embarking on a major project which will assist employees to find new jobs and will provide training in entrepreneurship to those who need it most," Du Plessis explains.
The plan will be launched this coming Wednesday, 22 June, at the Strubenvale Dutch Reformed Church on the corner of Moffat Avenue and Mark Crescent in Springs with a major initiative in terms of which former Aurora employees, and anyone else in the Springs area with the same need, will receive assistance in drafting a proper CV. On the day, jobseekers will be able to register their CVs on www.werknet.co.za, Solidarity Helping Hand's job seeking portal, or can have their CVs printed. In addition, an information session on a course in entrepreneurship will also be presented on the day. This course will be presented to former Aurora employees by Professor Jurie van Vuuren from the University of Pretoria.
"The course costs R10 000 per person and our aim is to train at least 50 persons," Du Plessis explains. "To achieve that, we need to raise at least R500 000", he adds. "Therefore, Solidarity plans to organise a big concert within the next two months which can involve the entire community Corporates and even individuals will also be challenged to ‘adopt' an Aurora family and to sponsor a former employee to undergo training", Du Plessis said.
Meanwhile, AfriForum will undertake a study on the environmental impact of the Aurora mines, while the trade union will pay attention to the various safety measures that are not being complied with at present. "Inadequate safety measures have already led to the death of at least three alleged illegal miners who had fallen down open shafts", Du Plessis concluded.
* To contribute towards Solidarity's emergency fund for former Aurora employees, please dial the Solidarity Service Centre at 0861 25 24 23.
Statement issued by Gideon du Plessis, Solidarity Deputy General Secretary, June 19 2011
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