The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and its affiliate, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), unequivocally reject the proposed retrenchments at Great North Transport (GNT).
We view the proposed retrenchment as a devastating blow to workers, their families and the people of Limpopo who rely on GNT as their public transport service.
GNT issued a Section 189 notice attributing the proposed job cuts to declining revenues, a reduced operational fleet, increasing labour costs and organisational restructuring. While the bus operator insists that no final decision has been made and that consultations will take place, COSATU and SATAWU are aggrieved that workers are once again being asked to pay the price for years of mismanagement, poor governance, and failure by the Limpopo Provincial Government via the Limpopo Economic Development Agency to provide proper oversight on the state-owned bus company.
Workers did not create the financial crisis faced by Great North Transport. They therefore should not be sacrificed as a solution to problems created by management failure and inadequate oversight.
Thousands of workers, learners, students and the elderly across Limpopo rely on GNT for their commute. Retrenchments will not only send hundreds of workers to the unemployment line in a province where the rate of unemployment is already higher than the national rate at 47% but will also impact public transport services that communities depend on daily.
COSATU will provide SATAWU with every support so it can vigorously protect every job in the consultation process and ensure that every possible alternative to retrenchment is explored. COSATU and SATAWU will oppose any attempt to use Section 189 to cut jobs without genuinely exploring all alternatives.
COSATU calls on the Limpopo Provincial Government, as the shareholder, not to stand by while workers bear the consequences of management and oversight failures. Government has a responsibility to protect decent work and ensure that state-owned entities fulfil their developmental mandate.
At a time when millions of South Africans are battling an unemployment rate of 43.7%, a stagnant economy and ever-rising cost of living, retrenching workers cannot be the solution. Saving jobs, rebuilding public transport and restoring confidence in Great North Transport must be the priority.
COSATU and SATAWU stand firmly with GNT workers and will use every resource available to fight job losses and defend the livelihoods of working-class families.
Issued by COSATU
Zanele Sabela (COSATU Spokesperson)
Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639
Email: zaneles@cosatu.org.za