Johannesburg - The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called for the removal of Communications Minister Faith Muthambi, blaming her for the slow pace of South Africa’s digital migration.
Muthambi’s department leads the long-awaited broadcasting digital migration. South Africa started the migration from analogue to digital after a decision by the International Telecommunications Union that countries should switch their broadcasting services from analogue to digital.
South Africa has missed the June 2015 deadline for the migration and CWU blames Muthambi.
“Under her leadership, we have seen job losses in the industry and costly decisions. These include us as a country missing the deadline for digital migration,” CWU general secretary Aubrey Tshabalala said yesterday.
Set-top boxes
Tshabalala said the union had reached out to Muthambi. “She is not approachable. She has not moved an inch in order to communicate with us. To have such a minister is problematic,” he said.
Mish Molakeng, the spokesman for the Ministry of Communications, said yesterday: “The ministry is in touch with the CWU and both parties are amenable for a meeting to discuss common concerns and interests.”
The dual illumination period, which allows for simultaneous broadcasting on analogue and digital, commenced on Monday. The government is currently rolling out set-top boxes around the country.
The call for Muthambi’s removal is among several complaints the union intends to take to the ANC during a march on March 4 to Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
The union’s other complaints are the Taxation Laws Amendment Act, which has pitted trade unions against the government, the state of the Post Office and job losses.
Tshabalala said CWU members were ready to go on a protected strike to protest against what the union said was the collapse of the Post Office, late salaries and deteriorating infrastructure.
“Our members are agitated… It is our view that, without state intervention there can be no immediate solution to rescue the SOE (state-owned enterprise). Therefore, the government has a moral obligation to fund the Post Office and also to support the current administration to execute their duties.”
The government last year appointed new chief executive Mark Barnes to turn the struggling state entity’s fortunes around. Barnes has said that he aims to return the Post Office to profitability.
Cybernest
CWU president Clyde Mervin said the union was also taken aback by Telkom’s decision to outsource Cybernest, Telkom’s data operations centre to information technology company, BCX, which is owned by Telkom.
Telkom spokeswoman Jacqui O’Sullivan said last night that Cybernest employees remained within the Telkom Group, “but they do need to be transferred into the appropriate business and legal entity within the group“.
“Job losses are not on the cards, in fact, this consolidation presents new and exciting opportunities for staff in the combined entity,” she said.
Mervin said the union was also concerned about the retrenchments at Bidvest FM, which has a fleet management contract with Telkom. Mervin said the retrenchments would affect 200 workers.
He said Telkom should continue to support Bidvest FM as the company was dependant on the telecoms company.
“We believe that is the responsibility of Telkom to ensure that this company survives for the sake of jobs,” Tshabalala said.
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