Missionlands Workers Strike Over Wage Demands

DISTRIBUTION AREAS - DOOR TO DOOR: TONGAAT: Buffelsdale, Belvedere, Watsonia, Mitha Nagar, Flamingo Heights, Ghandi Nagar, Fair Breeze, Bur Breeze, Ghandi’s Hill, Truro land, Emona, Sea Tides, La Mercy, Sandfields. VERULAM: Everest Heights, Ottawa, Oaklands, Redcliffe,Trenance Park (Old phase), Trenance Park (New phase), Dawn Crest, Mountview, Verulam Central, Temple Valley, Riyadh, Parkgate. WATERLOO COPIES Vol. 1 No. 21 JULY 13, 2017 Tel. 031-507 7761 / 031-459-8300 email: [email protected] 22 500 FREE WEEKLY Website: www.phoenixsun.co.za Phoenix Sun @PhoenixSunNews Missionlands workers strike over wage demands Missionland’s New Age Stationery factory workers downed tools from Monday, striking over what they claim to be unfavourable working conditions and a miserable wage increase. Discontent over low pay, disgruntled workers affiliated to National Union of Furniture & Al- lied Workers SA (NUFAWSA) union blockaded the road in the proximity of the factory with burning tyres and debris, restricting other workers not to enter the factory premises. These workers claimed their salaries of R11, 65 per hour does not reflect their work and demand better working conditions and fairer pay. Among their grievances was a lousy R1.17 increase offered by the company while they had requested for an increase of at least R5 per hour. According to a shop steward, Senzi Mathon- jwa, the strike was sparked after a failed agree- ment by the company’s management to pay them an increase of R5. These workers, consisting mainly of breadwin- ners and single parents, said their earnings are not enough to cover for basic needs and support their families. Mathonjwa who has been working for the factory for seven years said her take-home salary is R2080. She pays R650 a month in rent and Dissatisfied New Age Stationery factory workers have been striking over wage disputes and poor working conditions since Monday. can barely support her family consisting of 11 members. Meanwhile her colleague, Mavis Zuma who “Even after approaching CCMA, the company burning tyres, however, they did not damage educational needs. We find it very difficult to earns the same salary pays rent of R1,800 in disagreed to raise our wages and eventually we any infrastructure. Our members kept observa- make ends meet with the money we earn here. Parkgate, meaning that she is left with just obtained a letter from CCMA which permits us tion until striking workers had dispersed to- We hope the management will realise the tough R280 to survive for the month. to strike,” said Mathonjwa. wards then in the afternoon,” said Cpt Prakasim. times we are facing as workers,” she said. “We are battling to make ends meet with the She said that to add to the turmoil, the staff does The workers have vowed to continue protesting All strikers expressed the similar sentiments. salaries we earn here. All we want is a fairer not have a uniform, safety boots and are often until management meets their demands. When reached for a comment, a staff member pay and better working condition,” added affected by glue because the company does not Another shop steward, Zethu Hlophe, said the Mathonjwa. provide masks. meagre wages are not enough to meet the needs refused to comment, adding that the owner of She said they were upset because they had ap- Verulam SAPS communications officer, Cpt of her family. the factory is locked up in a meeting. proached the management over wage increases, Mark Prakasim, said no arrests were made as “I have a family of 11 including three children, Workers told the Tongaat and Verulam Sun that however, their requests were turned down the strike was peaceful. aged 12, six and one year. I barely make ends they were informed that management will meet which prompted them to approach the CCMA. “On Monday, workers blockaded the road with meet. I also have to take care of my brother's them on Wednesday to hear their demands. Page 2 TONGAAT AND VERULAM SUN, JULY 13, 2017 - www.phoenixsun.co.za Lord Ganesha procession celebrates 11 years The organisers for the Lord Ganesha Float Procession held its 11th annual launch at the Shree Marieammen Temple in Mount Edge- combe on Friday. The function was well at- tended and devotees enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of satsangs, dances and tucked into a delicious supper. Erosion and damages at the beach after massive wave and rainfall. The organisers awarded certificates to the temples who had made floats and joined the procession from Umgeni Road Temple to the Blue Lagoon. Awards were also given to some Umdloti beach-goers of the donors and sponsors. The members of the organisation presented the awards to the deserving devotees who participated. Special guest Shameen Thakur Rajbansi enlightened have to wait the devotees about the significance of Lord Ganesha. Special certificates were awarded to Rajbansi, Vivian Reddy, and a tribute was The massive waves in Umdloti two months paid to the late Joey Pillay who was a devotee ago together with inclement rainfall a week of Lord Ganesha and a sponsor of the event later caused severe damages along the Umd- Organiser, Roy Moodley, and Theo Ram- loti Beach. DA Councillor Geoffrey Pullan for the past six years. His award was received swak, at the launch of the event. by his family. explained that the damage was assessed by The procession will take place at the Durban City Council and because of the sea erosion, the walls collapsed in six places, making it Hindu Temple in Somtseu Road on august 19 sha.This will be followed by the highly antic- more tedious for repairing.” Sandbags have and 20. The invocation will take place at the ipated Ganga prayer and the offering in the in the interim been used to prevent further temple on August 10 which will see three ganga waters. The float procession will start erosion. Councillor Pullan hopes that the re- Lord Ganesha murthis be invoked. It will go at the SVEA Temple in Umgeni Road on Au- pairs will be completed before Christmas. to 27 temples in Newlands West, Durban gust 2017 at 7am.The celebration will con- In the meanwhile beach goers who choose North and Phoenix. Twenty seven temples clude with the moulding of the turmeric image Umdloti Beach as a picnic and swimming will host a murthi of Lord Ganesha at their of Lord Ganesha. spot will have to now move to the other side temple everyday. The schedule of the dates Devotees are reminded to bring a packet of as walking and parking areas are compro- and addresses of all the participating temples turmeric to participate in this unique way to mised because of the damages. The tidal pool will be posted on social media. Devotees can honour lord Ganesha. is out of action and life guards have now visit the organiser’s website www.lordgane- The organisers would like to thank all who has been moved over to the end of the beach. sha.co.za participated, donated or sponsored for the past Councillor Pullan cautioned beach goers to The concluding havaan for lord Ganesha will 10 years. Devotees who would like to spon- be careful if walking along the sunken banks take place at the Durban Hindu Temple on sor, donate or participate can contact Roy and collapsed walls as there are lots of wires Saturday, August 19, followed by the break- Moodley on 084-655-5692 or e-mail roy- that are lying lose and could be detrimental to ing of the 108 coconuts for Lord Gane- A local beach-goer, Rakesh Madhoo, looks at the [email protected] people walking barefoot. extent of the damages at the beach. Canelands residents protest against removal of illegal connections Over 100 enraged pro- The protest apparently passing motorists. When one enters the testors disrupted began overnight and The area is one of area, they are bound to eThekwini Municipal- continued the follow- many in Verulam that encounter hundreds of ity workers who were ing morning. is widely affected by exposed illegal elec- deployed to Canelands Protestors blockaded illegal electricity con- tric wires that snake to disconnect illegal the roads with burning nections which have around the settlement, electricity connections tyres and debris while caused several deaths posing a serious threat last week. some threw stones at over the years. to residents. These wires are illegally connecting the shacks to light poles and power boxes and also run across roads. Residents who lamented that they are not prepared to live without electricity vented their anger by protesting. “We resort to illegal connections because the eThekwini Munic- ipality is not providing us with electricity. To us, it appears that the Verulam police officers kept a watchful eye on protestors at the Canelands Informal Settle- municipality does not ment last week. care. We have been without electricity since the 80’s. It’s roads causing early has been an ongoing Northern and North- prevent fatalities. ridiculous,” said a res- morning traffic jams,” challenge in the western region discon- Residents are urged to ident. said Cpt Prakasim. eThekwini Municipal- nected hundreds of report suspicion of Verulam SAPS com- He confirmed that no ity despite several in- illegally connected arrests were made. terventions including live electricity in La cable theft and illegal munications officer, electricity connections Cpt Mark Prakasim, The municipal offi- modifications to the Mercy. said they monitored cials who were trying infrastructure have It emerged that when to the electricity’s call the protests. disconnect the illegal been taken to min- the matter is investi- centre on 080 1313 “Most of the protes- connections had no imise the impact of il- gated, officials dis- 111, or sms 083-700- tors were peaceful but option but to leave the legal connections cover that the illegal area.

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