Satawu calls off Transnet strike as members want to return to their posts

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) has called off its Transnet strike at the instruction of its workers, who indicated they would return to their posts on Thursday morning.

The crippling strike, which the United National Transport Union (UNTU) began earlier this month and with Satawu joining four days later, adversely impacted South African shipments of iron ore, coal and chrome.

Further engagement

Satawu said following the collective agreement between Transnet and Untu on 17 October, a series of consultative meetings with its constituencies were convened to analyse the agreement’s implications.

“Our members indicated the union to call off the industrial action on 19 October 2022, and resume productive activities on 20 October 2022, effective from 6:00 am.

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The union said its members still do not agree with the current agreement between the majority and Transnet management and would address its issues internally.

But its members have advised that Satawu’s negotiating team should not sign and/or be a party to the collective agreement.

“The union’s negotiating team should continue to engage with management through the Transnet Bargaining Council (TBC) on critical issues such as organisational restructuring (retrenchments) and deduction of lost wages in two instalments.”

Satawu said it represented about a third of Transnet’s 55 827 full-time and contract staff, compared with 24 992 for Untu.

Transnet fuel syndicate kingpin arrested

Meanwhile, an alleged kingpin involved in a syndicate that has been stealing Transnet fuel and damaging the parastatal’s pipelines has been arrested.

The Hawks nabbed the 35-year-old man in Pretoria on Wednesday.

He was arrested by a multi-disciplinary team led by the Free State Hawks, working together with Bidvest Protea Coin Security and Gauteng Traffic Police.

Hawks spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase, said almost 8.5 million litres of fuel, valued at approximately R102 million, had been stolen from national Transnet pipes since last year.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe

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