
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in KwaZulu-Natal says the highly publicised intention to close down the ArcelorMittal steel plant in Newcastle and elsewhere is a ploy to force the government to pour in public money to save the company.
According to Edwin Mkhize, the provincial secretary of COSATU in the province, the company is exploiting the reality that South Africa is facing a high unemployment rate and the government would frantically do anything to save jobs.
Mkhize made this comment on Wednesday (January 22) in Durban when the alliance of the ANC, COSATU, South African Communist Party (SACP) and the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) briefed the media following a council meeting over the weekend.
He claimed that the government has not even scrutinized the books of the giant steel company to see whether the claims that it is battling hardships are true or not.
“That’s why we are saying that all measures need to be taken in trying to actually save the jobs of workers. If there is a need as well in saving the company, I think the statement of the (provincial) secretary of the ANC (Bheki Mtolo) of the alliance, has articulated various options that need to be considered.
“In fact in the legislation, the retrenchment of the workers should the last resort and we really don’t believe that we have exhausted all measures to save workers there for the company to say it is closing down and so many workers losing their jobs,” Mkhize said.
He added that they would picket outside the company’s operations in Newcastle to voice their opposition to the intended closure on Friday.
Meanwhile, the ANC-led alliance in KwaZulu-Natal said it is against the pending liquidation of Ithala Bank adding the move is wrong and will affect many people.
“As the alliance in KZN we cannot be silent and allow these anti forces of social and meaningful
economic transformation to plunge this province into a socio-economic crisis that will take decades to address.
“Ithala has always remained the hope of the marginalised that gives them right to access to finance and ordinary banking who mostly are rural women and single mothers.
“This is the reason why the KZN government has always positioned Ithala as the Financial Development institution that promotes development and provides adequate access to finance
primarily for SMMEs and vulnerable members of our society,” the alliance added in a statement.
The KwaZulu-Natal ANC said it could not entertain questions about the upcoming reconfiguration, saying Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula was clear that only he could speak on the matter.