The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) says its incoming leadership should develop a programme that will address the challenges faced by workers in the transport, security and cleaning services sectors.
The union is holding its 6th National Congress in Bloemfontein, Free State.
The three-day conference will discuss issues like the non-payment of salaries of members who work for private companies, as well as the privatisation of state entities by the government.
Delegates have also slammed the decision by the African National Congress (ANC) to unilaterally enter into a Government of National Unity (GNU).
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says they have to explain to alliance partners who are still not persuaded, that the GNU was the best possible solution to the election outcome.
“Our message to SATAWU is to clarify most of the misconceptions about the formation of the GNU and to outline the strategic perspective of the ANC. Because it will be incorrect to continually spread the message that GNU was of our making, it is a tactical…that came as a result of low performance of the ANC in the elections.”
SATAWU General Secretary Jack Mazibuko says, “We are worried about the posture that the government is taking to invite the private sector into the entity on the basis that the entity is not performing if you look at finances of Transnet, they told that they’ve lost significant amount of money, they did not make a profit and we are worried about the fact that even the people that are invited to rescue state-owned companies we don’t believe they have necessary capacity to do so and we have been seeing policies like white papers which have been given out which are not giving a clear direction as to how workers jobs will be safeguarded.”
