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55 000 COPIES WEEKLY Wednesday, August 24, 2011
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Now Cowan High will not run dry
Become a rock star on Casual Day
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Editor: Bettie Giliomee
Zwifa celebrates end of year
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Metro beefs up security against strikers NCEBA DLADLA
N
ELSON MANDELA BAY Municipality has this week beefed up security measures following threats of violence and intimidation by striking South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members. A Samwu member was arrested on Tuesday for malicious damage to property after a municipal truck was allegedly stoned in the vicinity of the CBD, said municipal spokesperson Kupido Baron. According to Baron, up to date a total of 90 cases of intimidation have been reported to the Strike Management Centre as well as one case of assault and five cases of malicious damage to property. Nelson Mandela Bay Samwu Chairperson Gerald Fundani told PE Express Indaba yesterday that their “peaceful national strike has actually intensified” in Nelson Mandela Bay. He added that they will not back down on their demand for an 18% wage increase as opposed to “a ridiculous 6% offer” by SA Local Government Association (Salga). They were hoping that by late yesterday the national leaders in the Bargaining Chamber would have formalised a new offer after meeting with Salga. “Truth be told, we are bargaining here and can settle for less, but it must be two-digits,” said Fundani. Fundani said they marched to Bhisho offices on Friday last week to hand in a memorandum. They also handed over a memorandum during
a picket to the local municipality last Wednesday. According to Fundani they will continue to picket in front of the Lilian Diedricks Building in PE until a settlement is reached. “The majority of our members are on strike in all our points in PE, Despatch and Uitenhage. As you know, there are those members who would like to benefit from the sweat and toil of others – those who don’t want to strike but want to benefit from the increment we are fighting for,” said Fundani when asked if all the members were on strike. Fundani said there has been a considerable increase in the cost of living, such as the recent 23% hike in the electricity price as well as food and petrol price hikes. “We must not be treated as if we are unreasonable. The 18 per cent increment is not out of line considering the huge amounts paid to politicians at local government level at the end of the month. But municipal spokesperson Ongama Mtimka denied that there was a big stayaway by municipal workers. “Over 90% of the employees are working as usual since this indefinite strike started,” Mtimka said. According to Mtimka the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality has obtained a court interdict against striking employees who intimidate non-striking employees. “First and foremost, it is the right of employees to picket as it is enshrined in the country’s constitution. What we are against is when picketing employees start to intimidate those employees who are not on strike. “There are rules and regulations that must be followed during indus-
trial actions by employees and when employees flout those rules, they must expect to face the full might of the law,” said Mtimka. Meanwhile, according to munici-
pal spokesperson Kupido Baron, the municipality has tightened security measures and approximately 90 per cent of employees did report for duty yesterday. “Beefing up the security
has paid off as municipal buildings were secured and clinics that were planned to remain open during the strike period continued to deliver services,”said Baron.
BOKS GIVE BACK TO BOYS
While rugby fever was running high with the TriNations in Port Elizabeth last week, Bokkie, the official mascot of the Springboks, put 40 future rugby stars through their paces at the Wolfson Stadium in KwaZakhele on Wednesday. The clinic was hosted by Junk Yard Dogs, the coaching arm of the annual Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens rugby tournament. Photo: FULL STOP COMMUNICATIONS
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