Ermelo: The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in the Gert Sibande Region is slowly losing patience with Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), Ermelo depot.
This comes after the Youth League received hostile treatment from the company’s security personnel when they were refused entry to the premises for a scheduled meeting with management.
According to the Youth League regional secretary Trevor Nkosi, a group of security officers refused them entry to the premises, saying they were acting on management’s instruction. Phone calls to management went unanswered.
After the march in June, the Youth League had a series of meetings with Transnet management, which, according to the Youth League spokesman Mzwakhe Thabethe, achieved nothing.
On 22 July the Department of Public Enterprise intervened between Transnet and the Youth League and this led to undertakings, which the Youth League says Transnet did honour.
Transnet communications department has also released a statement, explaining their commitment to economic development.
In the statement, the company explains that the total staff complement of TFR Ermelo depot consists of almost 80 per cent residents from the Gert Sibande region. In April this year 265 applicants underwent a rigorous assessment process and 73 were permanently appointed in the entry level in various positions. The assessment process is still underway for 30 more positions to be finalised by the end of this month.
In August, 13 females were appointed as infrastructure workers at the Rail Network division.
The statement further explains other programmes aimed at empowering young people at high schools, such as the Techno Girls and Rail Cadet Scheme.
Meanwhile, the Youth League is not satisfied, as they are of the opinion that this does not respond to their initial demands.
One of the issues raised by the League is that the organisation has done nothing tangible in the community.
The Highvelder sent a list of questions to the TFR communications department about the alleged refusal of entry to the premises, how the TFR verified that 80 per cent employees are from the Gert Sibande region, what the organisation’s plan is to provide internships to local youth and what their Social Labour Plan for the people of Ermelo is.
No response had been received by the time of going to print.
