Johnathan Paoli
THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), in a statement on Friday, criticised the owner of SA Steel Mills, Rafik Mohamed for his inhumane and cold-hearted reaction to the death of a worker at the company.
Numsa said on Thursday, a 26-year-old worker at the Steel Mills, Seamogelo Mkhondwane, was unfortunately crushed to death by one of the pressing machines. And immediately after his death, Mohamed allegedly demanded the workers to resume their duties and go back to work.
Mohamed allegedly threatened disciplinary action for those who didn’t resume their duties immediately.
However, Numsa members refused to resume their duties because they were traumatised, as some were close with Mkhondwane, or felt obligated out of respect for the deceased after this tragic accident.
In addition, Numsa charged that a lot of its members do not feel safe working for the company because of its failure to comply with health and safety regulations. The union went on to emphasise the right of refusal to work when health and safety regulations are not adhered to and that the workers remain protected by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
“His [Mohamed] views are similar to that of American slave owners on plantations who view workers as cattle. He has no regard for their safety, and no regard for their feelings. He did not care that some of them were traumatised and he has no respect for one of his own employees who died while working for him.” the union said.
Numsa further alleged that the company is underpaying workers and giving them less than the rate stipulated by the Metals and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) for the steel sector. In addition, the workers are not given medical aid, leave enhancement benefit and traveling allowance.
Earlier this year, on 11 April, Numsa officially sent a letter to the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL), Minister Thulas Nxesi, as well as the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Minister Ebrahim Patel, and copied the Director-General of DoEL, Thobile Lamati, and the acting Deputy DG Thembinkosi Mkalipi.
In addition, a copy of the letter was sent to the CEO of Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA), Lucio Trentini, and the General Secretary of the MEIBC, Sicelo Nduna, alerting them of the situation at SA Steel Mills.
“We are calling once again on the DoEL to urgently investigate the violations of health and safety, and the exploitation of undocumented foreign nationals. We are disappointed because if they had taken our allegations more seriously, perhaps this death could have been prevented. We are imploring them to act with speed and intervene at SA Steel Mills because we cannot afford any more incidents.”, the union said.
Further demands by the union include the election of safety reps that can be trained in health and safety protocols by the union, and the election of a full-time health and safety shop-steward, integral to the maintenance of health and safety standards in the workplace.
Numsa also demanded the immediate ceasing of employment of undocumented foreign nationals and claimed that out of 1000 workers, only 200 are South African.
A meeting with SA Steel Mills management, dealing with the concerns and issues raised, will be organized for Monday 17 July.
Numsa concluded by urging Mohamed to change his attitude and accept that we are in a democratic South Africa.
“We will not tolerate an apartheid mentality in anyone and he must be prepared to accept that we expect, at the very least, that he treats workers as full human beings, and not, like animals.”
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