Malema high security baffles Sapu >> Why must he be guarded so majestically >> Deployed to deal with any incident
Herbert Rachuene >>herbert@mailbox.co.za
M
embers of the South African Police Union (Sapu) in Limpopo have expressed discontent at the apparent over protection of former African National Congress Youth League President, Julius Malema during his court appearance in Polokwane on Thursday and Friday. Sapu Provincial Secretary, Mr Solly Bulala said more than half of the province’s Police were deployed in the vicinity of the court building where Malema and his co-assused appeared. “It is wrong and inappropriate to have so many Police officers guarding one person whose status no longer requires it. Malema is just an ordinary person. He is not even a threat. I still don’t understand why must he be guarded so majestically. There were other
cases that needed the attention of the officers. It looked as if our officers were honouring Malema more than doing their job. We view the whole process as waste of resources and tax payers’ money because the very same officials could have attended other high risk areas,” Bulala said. Bulala further stated that about 1 000 police officers were deployed at the court to safeguard the premises in- and outside. “The word from our members is they did not get their overtime pay. Instead the management is offering them a day off. That is inappropriate. I still think they could have analysed the situation and put some members on standby,” Bulala said. Provincial Police Spokesperson, Col Ronel Otto said members were deployed to deal with any incident when it arose immediately instead of being called in and delaying response time. “The South African Police Service must be prepared and ready for any eventuality. Information received beforehand is analysed and assessed and operations and actions planned accordingly. Sapu also knows very well that they have an open platform to meet with the management of the SAPS in the province where they can raise their grievances to be addressed, instead of taking internal matters to the media for discussion,” Otto said.
Vavi lambasts labour brokers MPHO DUBE >>mphodube.observer@gmail.com Cosatu General Secretary, Mr Zwelinzima Vavi said labour brokers are parasites in the employment relationship who supply workers to do jobs that already exist and which, in many cases, would previously have been permanent full-time jobs. Vavi, known to be a strong critic of the ANC under President Jacob Zuma’s leadership, was addressing more than 1 000 union members during the Provincial Young Workers Forum held at Bolivia Lodge on Saturday. “They (labour brokers) negotiate a fee with the so-called ‘client’ firm for supplying stipulated labour services for a given period. While they get rich through this trade in labour, the workers are exploited worse than ever. Most of the workers supplied and employed by labour brokers earn low wages, do not enjoy any benefits, receive no training and have virtually no job security,” Vavi told his audience. He took a swipe at Zuma’s administration for failing to completely ban labour brokers and instead agree that they would continue in operation for periods of three months. That, despite MPs having voted for more regulations to prevent what they concede to be abusive practices by labour brokers. “That is why we make no apology for calling it human trafficking and a modern form of slavery. We cannot agree with government that increased regulation of the labour brokering industry will stop all its abuses. The Department of Labour can’t enforce current regulation of employment conditions and safety, let
alone adding another area of enforcement,” Vavi said. He however, said the main debate with the ANC, which shall be resuming in two weeks at an Alliance Economic Summit meeting, is on the broader issue of how we the economy can be transformed so that it provides more jobs, creates more wealth and distributes that wealth in a far more equitable fashion. “Our commitment to support the ANC has never been based on giving them a blank cheque. The workers will never allow even their staunch allies to take them for granted. We will always take our mandate from the membership, especially at our ‘Workers’ Parliament’ our three-yearly National Congress, whose resolutions and declarations are the basis for the federation for the next three years, and beyond if those policies are not changed by later congresses. If those policies conflict with those of government and our ANC allies, we will not keep quiet, but argue, debate, and if all else fails take to the streets to mobilise the workers,” Vavi said. In reacting to the progress made during the forum, Cosatu Provincial Secretary, Mr Dan Sebabi said the forum was flourishing, stressing that the union has embarked on engaging, encouraging and reaching out to young people to join Cosatu. “Our membership is growing and the forum went well. The forum projected to identify 15 young shop stewards between 18-40 years. “This platform was intended to enable young workers to voice out their frustrations in Limpopo and develop an action programme,” Sebabi said.
Nafcoc launches youth sector
Herbert Rachuene >>herbert@mailbox.co.za The Provincial Chapter of National Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc) recently launched its Provincial Youth Sector as part of the Youth Month programme during the Nafcoc youth meeting in Polokwane. Ms Fortunate Mokgehle, President of the structure said during the meeting that they will focus on enterprise development and skills development which is in line with the provincial growth strategy. “The programmes are aimed to capacitate entrepreneurs across the following sectors: Manufacturing, Mining, Agriculture, Tourism, Retail, Information Technology, Green Economy and Construction. The scope of impact is all five districts of the province. Small, medium and micro enterprises will be assisted to position themselves to be able to exploit the opportunities that are presented in the National Development Plan of Government. The structure has the task of identifying the various challenges facing youth enterprises and engaging stakeholders to come up with solutions that are practical and relevant,” Mokgehle said.
“The vision of Nafcoc Youth is colossal and it requires commitment and persistence. The young business people of Limpopo need to get rid of entitlement mentality and focus on acquiring the necessary qualifications and accreditations that are relevant to their industries. “We need to take ourselves seriously as business people in order for us to be taken seriously as competitors and contenders for markets and opportunities. We must polish our business acumen to world standards. Our challenge now goes beyond building sustainable ventures, but becoming global contributors in quality, creativity, technology and innovation across all sectors of the economy. We will champion the inclusion and participation of youth in empowerment programmes and challenge youth unemployment and skills drainage from our province. Youth is the future. If we neglect our youth, we have no future as a society,” Mokgehle said. Messrs Mojalefa Ntsoana (Deputy President), Khomotjo Mangwale (Secretary General), Mss Phumudzo Munyai (Deputy Secretary General) and Innocentia Tloubatla (Treasurer) make up the rest of the sector’s executive committee.
Junie 27, 2013
polokwane
OBSERVER
NEWS
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Photo: Herbert Rachuene
A view of some of the allegedly nearly 1 000 Police officers deployed in and around the court building for the period of the hearing of Mr Julius Malema and his co-accused on Friday.
Wealth Summit this weekend RC Myburgh >>rc.observer@gmail.com It is the final countdown for interested business personalities to register for the Wealth Summit to be hosted in Polokwane on Saturday and Sunday. The main speaker at the Wealth Summit and owner of Work Your Wealth, Mr Conray Labuschagne urged people to submit their registration via www.wealthsummit.co.za as soon as possible in order not to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime to gain valuable information on business successes and how to make more money. Valuable topics to be discussed during the two day summit will include among others trading the world’s markets, property as an investment, investment opportunities and strategies, home based internet businesses and establishing a positive mindset. Labuschagne will be joined on stage by the world’s top entrepreneurs Messrs Rick Potgieter, Mark Wilkes, Kieron Sweeney, Andrew Eaton, John Broome and Ms Hilda de la Rosa. By joining the Wealth Summit these international leaders will show you how to recognize an opportunity for success as soon as it appears, and how to act on it; how to stay on top of your game with the latest technology, talent and tactics; how to organize your way of think-
ing so that success is the inevitable outcome; how to achieve and then maintain complete financial freedom and how to plan your future and avoid would-be obstacles. They will show attendees exactly how to flourish in their chosen career, financial aspects and relationship with others and in their health, happiness and overall satisfaction. More objectives planned for the two days are how various tools can be used to create financial freedom; the tools that are available to create desired financial state; learn from some of the greatest experts in different fields from all over the country, learn sound financial freedom principals such as leverage and compounding benefits; how to re-train your brain; personal development; business skills and tools and what you need to build multiple streams of passive income. Tickets can be bought from Shoprite, Checkers, Computicket or via the Wealth Summit website at www.wealthsummit.co.za. VIP tickets are available at R995 which include a free one-on-one interview with Labuschagne as well as a free ticket to the National Achiever Congress to be presented in Sandton by world known investor, entrepreneur and educator, Mr Robert Kiyosaki. Standard tickets are available at R495. The summit will be hosted at Tambati Conference Centre corner Church and Krokodil streets from 09:00 to 16:00.