Transnet slams attacks on staff

TRANSNET yesterday condemned acts of violence at the homes of non-striking container terminal workers in Port Elizabeth.

This comes in the sixth week of a strike at the Ngqura Container Terminal by members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa).

Transnet Port Terminals Eastern Cape general manager Siya Mhlaluka said the state-owned company condemned the resurgence of violence against employees who chose not to take part in the strike, and Transnet would do all it could to ensure the safety of non-striking employees.

At least two employees' homes were stoned in Motherwell in the early hours of yesterday, between about 1am and 2am.

Mhlaluka said at the start of the strike homes of staff were petrol-bombed.

Police spokesman Warrant Officer Dumile Gwavu could not confirm yesterday's attacks.

"Transnet condemns in the strongest ... terms the resumption of acts of thuggery, violence and lawlessness against our colleagues who are exercising their right not to take part in the strike," Mhlaluka said.

The attacks appeared to be part of a coordinated campaign of terror and intimidation, he said.

Numsa national treasurer Mphumzi Maqungo, said: "It is totally wrong and untrue that everything that goes wrong is associated with us because we are on strike."

Mhlaluka said the latest attacks took the total number of attacks on non-striking Ngqura workers to 18.

Transnet said earlier this week that from Monday all employees at its Eastern Cape terminals would be employed directly by the company, in effect doing away with labour brokers in core operations.

Doing away with labour brokers was one of the key demands from Numsa when the strike began.

Transnet said it made the decision on brokers after talks with the South African and Allied Workers' Union, South African Railways and Harbours Union, and the United Transport and Allied Trade Union.

Transnet does not recognise Numsa as a union. It said Numsa did not have enough representation to be recognised. - Cindy Preller and Mkhululi Ndamase