Workers vandalise premises

A court interdict prohibiting more than 200 staff members of Lephalale Site Services (LSS) from entering the Eskom Marapong Housing facility was issued over the weekend after disgruntled workers
vandalised the kitchen and four dining halls.
Northern News spoke to LSS CEO, Justice Ledwaba, on Tuesday who confirmed that a criminal case was opened against the workers who wrecked the kitchen and stole food to the value of one million rand.
“Staff members downed tools on Wednesday claiming that project bonuses, health and safety payments as well as annual bonuses were owed to them. I agreed to meet with them on site, but they refused to meet with me without a representative of the Commercial, Services and Allied Workers Union (COSAWU) present. The representative later arrived and with LSS management and police convinced the workers to release the trucks that were loaded with food parcels for the Medupi workers. Later COSAWU distanced themselves from the protest action.”
According to Ledwaba workers believed that they were entitled to the said bonuses. Ledwaba assured workers that no such bonuses were part of their contracts accept for the annual bonuses which were paid to them at the end of 2010, 2011 and 2012.
The staff continued to embark on a go slow on Wednesday evening and downed tools again on Thursday morning. Ledwaba again visited the site were workers blocked the trucks from leaving the premises. “We could eventually release the trucks when Vetus Schola guards arrived with shields and helmets to protect us from the workers.”
When 50 – 100 Medupi workers entered the dining hall for supper Thursday evening, protesters threw rocks and broke several windows in the dining hall. “Workers were evacuated and when we wanted to lock the premises it was discovered that the keys of the dining hall and kitchen were gone,” Ledwaba said.
“During the night,  workers entered the kitchen and broke appliances, CCTV cameras, gas pipes and cut electrical wires. They also looted the fridges and ate and removed all the cooked food which had been prepared for the Marapong residents, throwing cooked and raw food around the kitchen premises , they succeeded in rendering the facility unusable.”
On Friday morning Ledwaba was asked to meet with an Eskom representative and three men who were said to represent workers. The men demanded from Eskom that LSS be removed from the Medupi site and that another company should be awarded the tender. According to Ledwaba Eskom’s response was that until evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of LSS is presented to them, LSS will remain on site.
Meanwhile the national union of mine workers (NUM) issued a statement, also distancing itself from the protest action adding that sinister forces are at work to undermine the work of LSS in order to secure the Medupi tender for themselves.
Eskom was not available for comment.