Medupi open or closed?

LEPHALALE – The National union of metalworkers (Numsa) met with its members in Marapong on Saturday to discuss issues raised in meetings with Medupi ‘s Management team last Friday. Numsa’s sector co-ordinator for Medupi, Stephen Nhlapo, said feedback from its members revealed that workers are adamant to continue with the strike until their demands are met.
Nhlapo said management agreed on Friday to review the Project Labour agreement (PLA) within its current structures, but Numsa members demand a total renegotiation of the PLA. According to Nhlapo Numsa members will also not return to work until their December bonuses are paid to them in full.
When Northern News spoke to Nhlapo on Tuesday he was confident that negotiations on Wednesday and Thursday would lead to an amicable solution for all parties. “We hope to have our members back on site next week and we will continue with negotiations on their behalf.”
In the meantime contractors have been returning to the Medupi site since last week. Murray & Roberts spokesperson, Ed Jardim, says the plan is to mobilise workers in phases. “Murray & Roberts started the process on Monday and several employees where already working on site this week. We are not sure how long the process will take, but we hope to have all our employees on site as soon as possible. We believe that all parties are eager to return to work.”
Eskom’s Project Support and Externalities Manager, Nthabiseng Malebo’s, however issued a statement this week claiming that “the return to work has not yet begun.”
At the time of going to print on Wednesday, Norhtern News also learned that Numsa would join the Lephalale youth council in their march from the air force base to the Eskom information centre on Thursday. “We are in solidarity with the youth council who is also concerned about Eskom’s lack of social responsibility when it comes to the development of Lephalale and the upliftment of unemployed youth,” Nhlapo said.
Lephalale’s youth officer , Joseph Machaba, told Northern News this week that the March would highlight issues relating to what he calls – “the victimization of Medupi and Exxaro workers”. “We want the demobilisation of local workers to stop. We also want the Lephalale Municipality to set up a youth recruitment desk to replace labour brokers in Lephalale and we demand better wages for our youth,” Machaba said.