Issue 193 - FREE
14
September 2018
Community News. Original - accurate - first
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Solidarity members supporting the strike that was held on Thursday, 6 September.
Solidarity on action plan On Thursday thousands of Sasol employees in Secunda went on strike and made their voices heard in protest against Sasol’s Khanyisa share scheme that excludes white workers simply because of their race. Preparations started very early on Thursday morning. When the Bulletin arrived at 05H04 the area was a hive of activity. Banners were being placed along the road, Gazebos were being erected and barrier tape strung. There was orange everywhere. 3500 caps were distributed during the morning but not everybody received one as the number of protestors were far more than caps available. The sea of orange steadily grew as the solidarity participant numbers swelled. “Some media mistakenly reported that this was a white worker strike but it is a strike against what is wrong and what is right,” said Solidarity Chief Executive Dirk Hermann in an early morning interview with the Bulletin, “Sasol has moved from including white workers to one that excludes white workers.” According to Hermann, these workers made their voices heard today by taking a stand. “What Sasol is doing is unfair to workers who helped build
the company and who have been loyal and faithful workers throughout the years. Today, thousands of workers taking part in this strike said: Enough is enough,” Hermann said. According to Hermann, the community also turned up in large numbers and joined the strikers in order to show their support for the workers and to add their voices to the protest action. “Workers have reason to be angry for being excluded by Sasol because of a principle exclusively based on race and they are prepared to make their voices heard for what they believe is right and fair,” Hermann said. “The fact that the community and everyone affected by this unfair situation is taking a stand for what they believe is right, is incredibly encouraging. It shows that this is an involved community prepared to take a stand as well. Their actions encourage and energise us,” Hermann said. Some of the Solidarity members’ black co-workers chose to show their support and attended the strike. Solidarity member Thabo Lucas Lekoloane said the following: “a piano
has both black and white keys, you need both to have good harmony. If you only play one then the music will be false.” International news agencies Al Jazeera and the BBC has also picked up on the exclusion of white workers based on their race and have reported on the situation on their worldwide platforms. Solidarity members handed 350 memorandums on Wednesday 5 September, to companies across the country in a show of support of the Sasol workers. “Sasol let the transformation pendulum swing too far. Sasol’s policy has developed into one of unadulterated racial exclusion. The Sasol employees’ actions are making history. They will once again bring a balance to the transformation debate in South Africa,” Hermann said. Friday 7 September saw a new turn of events in Solidarity’s strike at Sasol when the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) addressed a letter to Solidarity and Sasol in which it offers its assistance to defuse Solidarity’s strike at Sasol. This step is taken in terms of section 150 of the Labour Relations Act. Solidarity
has since formally informed the CCMA that the trade union would participate in the process. This step comes after thousands of workers participated in a protest march on Thursday, 6 September, outside Sasol-Secunda as part of full-scale strike action. In its letter, the CCMA indicated that it would appoint a special commissioner to assist the parties. The CCMA also referred to its excellent track record in resolving disputes by means of the section 150 process. According to Hermann, the CCMA’s request comes as a surprise but is welcomed. “A dispute can only be resolved around the negotiating table. The parties must find a solution for the sake of everyone in South Africa and we welcome the CCMA’s endeavours to become involved in finding a solution. In the past, we have had positive experiences with similar processes at the CCMA. The CCMA has also confirmed telephonically that at least one senior commissioner, but probably two, would be assigned to the process. Continued to page 3