By REGINALD KANYANE

South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in the North West intends to take legal action against the embattled Naledi Local Municipality. This comes after a few members belonging to the union were allegedly attacked by the security guards at the municipality during a standoff on Wednesday.

SAMWU provincial secretary, Vincent Diphoko said they had a meeting with some of the employees over lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). Diphoko added that they tried in numerous times to address the matter with the municipality, but their request fell in deaf ears.

“There was a separate meeting between our national structure and the municipality. The municipality called a schedule 8 meeting where it was intending to charge our provincial chairperson and the regional secretary of Mahikeng. So, the SAMWU national and the provincial leadership were there to facilitate the meeting.

“However, workers went outside the meeting that we held and went to demand the PPEs from the municipal management. In that process, the security guards employed by the municipality ambushed them with violence. Unfortunately, some of our members were injured in that process and our national treasurer was admitted to hospital because of pepper spray,” he said.

Diphoko added that they are now waiting for a legal opinion from their head office and they will decide whether to open a criminal case against the security company or the municipality. He said they are still compiling a report to check how many people were injured, but confirmed that one person was admitted to the hospital for medical assistance.    

However, the acting municipal manager, Thabo Appolus refuted the allegations. Appolus said those workers disrupted their meeting.  

“We have supplied all our workers with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). Our records also show that the said officials that were demanding PPEs were given them. So, the issue was not about the PPEs. The SAMWU national officials came as a request from us because we had a schedule 8 meeting in terms of the Labour Relation Act.

“There are issues relating to the contravention of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and as management, we were instituting disciplinary action against their members,” he said.

Appolus added that the situation has returned to normality and the municipality will continue with its course to charge those who transgressed. He said they also agreed with the SAMWU leadership to ensure that service delivery is disrupted.

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By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

The heartfelt condolence messages continue to pour into the family and friends of the renowned struggle icon and human rights lawyer, advocate George Bizos who died on Wednesday.

Bizos was born in Greece, but fled his Nazi occupation of his native Greece at age 13 to become one of South Africa’s prominent human rights lawyers. His health continued to deteriorate over the years.  

South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) chairperson in the North West, Paul Sebegoe said Bizos was a revolutionary intellectual and a selfless jurist who had set the bar for South Africa’s legal system very high.

“Bizos principled leadership, wise legal counsel and cardinal contribution towards our constitutional democracy, rule of law, human rights values including the reconciliation, nation-building, and social cohesion as well as reclaiming the values that underpinned the struggle for liberation will be sorely missed.

“He represented a generation of fearless and selfless leaders that stood against the might of the apartheid state. It could be rightly argued that Bizos saved the late ANC president and world icon, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki as well as Walter Sisulu from receiving the death sentence and going to the gallows during the Rivonia treason trial,” he said.

Sebegoe said they were confident that Bizos would bounce back to good health, after he fell and hit his head on the night that he received the deserved Freedom of Johannesburg after a public lecture hosted at Wits University four years ago.

He further said Bizos was an internationalist, a great fighter, a defender of the defenseless downtrodden and marginalised, conscience of our nation as well as a humble patriot who made an invaluable contribution towards creating a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist, peaceful, and prosperous society,” said Sebegoe.

It was reported that Bizos who was 87 year of age at that time, fell and hit his head two days after receiving the award after a public lecture hosted in his honour and the late ANC stalwart as well as Rivonia trialist, Andrew Mlangeni at Wits University and was admitted to the institution’s Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Parktown.

The university newspaper, the Wits Vuvuzela had at the time reported that after the fall, Bizos was bleeding from his neck and was helped to his feet by guests who attended the lecture.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation spokesperson, Zaakirah Vadi said the foundation is deeply saddened by the passing of Bizos. Vadi expressed sincere condolences to the family, friends, and comrades of Bizos.

“The foundation recalls the extremely close personal friendship between its founder, Ahmed Kathrada and the late Bizos. We remember Bizos fighting back tears at the Westpark Cemetery as he remembered the life and times of Kathrada. “At the time, Bizos said that Kathy was known for dedicating his life to the cause of the struggle and the realisation of freedom in South Africa. He said Kathrada was a brave man with a sense of humour,” said Vadi.

He further said today they fight back their tears in memory of Bizos. Vadi added that Bizos was a great South African, who dedicated his life to fighting apartheid through the courts.

“We reiterate Kathrada’s remarks about Bizos. Kathrada said Bizos stand in that long tradition of great human beings who although not born in this country did so much to contribute to its well-being.

“Bizos was a highly respected, renowned, and internationally acclaimed South African lawyer. He was an outstanding human rights activist who made his mark under apartheid while defending among other ANC leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu , and Ahmed Kathrada during the 1964 Rivonia Trial,” concluded Vadi.

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

Patients were left stranded at Taung District Hospital after healthcare workers embarked on protest and downed their tools since Monday. This comes after healthcare workers alleged that the department failed to pay them their overtime and performance bonuses for three months.

One of the healthcare workers who refused to be named for fear of reprisal said: “We will continue with the protest until the management adheres to our demands. We cannot continue as normal, while we are owed by the management.

“We tried to engage with them in numerous times, but we were sent from pillars to post. Now, it is high time that the management listens to us and stop being arrogant. How do you expect us to perform our duties while we are not happy?

Another healthcare worker said they have been at the forefront in a fight against coronavirus and joining one fight over the other is not a false choice at all. She said given their career choice to protect human lives, the effect of disparities in their work is imperative fighting for.

“After all, we have been risking our lives to save others who were sick, the novel coronavirus causes, and we understand how events like protests may land a whole new crop of cases in our care, some of whom we may not be able to help. However, the management leaves us with no choice,” he said.

Meanwhile, the North West Health Department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said it true that they did not pay healthcare workers their performance bonuses. He said before payments are done, the normal process is verification and approval and that normally takes time. 

“The facility has not received approval of Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) as yet. The employees were informed on Monday that their June and July claims will be paid on Thursday next week.

“For August, employees are still making submissions through their respective managers /supervisors. PMDS will be processed once verification and approval by the province is granted,” said Lekgethwane.

He further said emergencies and critical patients are being referred to Joe Morolong Hospital in Vryburg.

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