MTPA managed attractions still remain closed

Kholofelo Nkambule, spokesperson for the MTPA said today that reserves and offices still remain closed to the public.

According to a media statement by the agency, “The executive management of the MTPA met with the MEC for finance, economic development and tourism as well as the provincial leadership of Nehawu on April 9 to engage on the issues raised”.

The engagement resolved to allow the MTPA and Nehawu to form an urgent task team which will immediately attend to all the issues of concern and find an amicable solution in an effort to get operations at reserves back up and running.

ALSO READ: Kruger programme aims to nip plant poaching in the bud

Mr Johannes Nobunga, CEO of the MTPA, said they “remain committed to ensure that these issues are resolved as soon as possible to allow operations to resume.

“We are aware that this has had an unfortunate negative effect on the tourism sector, and visitors to our attractions have been severely inconvenienced.

“We would like to encourage visitors coming to Mpumalanga to visit other tourism attractions on offer and enjoy their stay in the province.

“We appeal for patience as we continue to work tirelessly to ensure that other popular tourism attractions are opened soon”.

S’dumo Masilela, the Ehlanzeni regional secretary for Nehawu, said their demands can be substantiated as follows:

1. The placement process on the new organisational structure:
“Both parties, the union (Nehawu) and the MTPA, entered into discussions on how the reviewing process should unfold. We were at the stage of signing the collective agreement on the matter.
“While in that process MTPA advertised posts for senior managers without considering what we agreed on,” said Masilela.
Nkambule confirmed that these positions were advertised a few weeks ago.

ALSO READ: Easter bunny becomes the hunted in Kruger

2. Failure to resolve salary disparities:
Masilela said in 2014 the MTPA went through a similar process of reviewing the organogram and it was implemented wrongly by management.
“It resulted in salary disparities and there were a massive number of grievances. Management failed to resolve the grievances, and we took it to the CCMA. The CEO requested the union withdraw the cases at the CCMA, and that we must give him 10 months to deal with the issues. We gave the CEO an opportunity as per his request.”
He said since 2017 the term of office of the CEO has been less than 12 months and the issue of salary disparities has not been resolved.

3. Unilateral change of working conditions:
“Field rangers were forced to be redeployed to the Mthethomusha Game Reserve from other camps and reserves without considering the working environment.
“We engaged with management about the working environment that was not compliant with Covid-19 regulations. The employer threatened to charge our members for refusing to work in an environment that is not conducive.”

ALSO READ: GRIP declares digital defence on sexual assault

4. Improvement of long service awards:
“Our members are demanding that the recognition of long service awards should start from five years to 30 years, with a monetary value ranging from R2 500 to R15 000.”
He said at this stage the monetary value ranges from R1 500 to R3 500 for between 10 and 20 years.

5. The interference by provincial treasury during salary negotiations:
“MTPA executive managers are negotiating in bad faith, leading to unnecessary deadlocks. The MTPA has its own budget and is able to generate income, so it should not be treated similarly to other institutions when it comes to salary increases. We demand an external chairperson during our negotiations.”

ALSO READ: Department of Health says 29 per cent of frontliners have received the vaccine

6. Asbestos houses in camps:
“It is worrisome that an employer is subjecting its employees to asbestos houses. These houses are located in three camps in the Bohlabela, Nkangala and Gert Sibande regions.”

Critique has come from many other tourism entities regarding the closure of certain attractions, most mentioning the severe impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the tourism industry.

The DA called on the Mpumalanga MEC for finance and economic development, Vusi Mkhatshwa, to “urgently engage Nehawu to find an amicable solution to their grievances as this sector, which has already shed 134 000 jobs during the Covid-19 period, cannot survive another disruption which might further add to the 46.4 per cent expanded unemployment rate in the province”.

Oupa Pilane, the chairperson of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Mpumalanga and Kruger Lowveld Tourism said “the sector is at its knees we need everyone to pull together to save the thousands of jobs that are at stake.

ALSO READ: Adopt or donate, whatever suits your heart or pocket

“The recovery of the sector cannot afford to be disrupted by an illegal strike. We expect the management of the MTPA to follow all legal processes to end the strike immediately and open all the attraction sites.

“We understand that workers have grievances but that does not give them the right to disrupt the recovery of tourism and put thousands of small businesses and jobs on the line. This is an economic sabotage. We live in a democratic country and there are procedures to be followed to resolve disputes without resorting to illegal means”.

• Waterfalls managed by Safcol are unaffected.