Zungu provides safe harbour

INLSA

Sprite Zungu, an inspector for the International Transport Workers Federation. The federation has been helping seafarers since 1896. Zungu is one of four ITF inspectors on the continent and one of just two in South Africa.

Meeting Sprite Zungu for the first time, his handshake is firm, his smile is warm and friendly and his calm disposition immediately puts one at ease. It is these characteristics that have served him well as an inspector for the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

The federation has been helping seafarers since 1896 and today represents the interests of seafarers worldwide, of whom more than 600 000 are members of ITF-affiliated unions. The federation works to improve conditions for seafarers of all nationalities and to ensure adequate regulation of the shipping industry to protect the interests and rights of the workers.

Zungu is one of four ITF inspectors on the continent and one of two inspectors in SA. He was recently in the media spotlight when he helped crew members of the Sri Lankan cargo vessel the MV Lankan Mahapola that was recently detained in the Durban harbour.

The crew had contacted him en route to Durban about their terrible working conditions on board the ship and about not being paid for three months.

He arranged for the ship to be arrested and detained in Durban until the dispute was resolved. He also helped liaise with the crew’s lawyer, Struan Mundell, who also acted for the federation. The ship’s arrest was eventually lifted when the owner promised to pay the crew’s wages and arranged for their flights back home.

This is just one example of the tireless work Zungu does. His area of responsibility covers Maputo, Richards Bay, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. On the morning of his interview with The Daily News he called to say he was delayed as he was on board a ship in the Durban harbour from 6am. During the interview, he received a call from an irate Ukrainian second engineer who was relieved of his duties and told to return home. Zungu then had to rush to Richards Bay where the ship the Ukrainian engineer was working on, was docked.

It was hard for him to describe an average day at work, he said, because he is on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“This is a very demanding and challenging job. There were three inspectors before me because after a year on the job, people would fall away. This type of job is better for someone with a seafarer’s background. I worked as one for 15 to 18 years. After I got married I wanted to come off the sea. I became a truck driver and then I got a better job as an admin clerk,” he said.

He was always an active shop steward. He introduced a union while he was working as a seafarer for Unicorn. He later began working for the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, which is seconded to the International Transport Workers’ Federation.

He works tirelessly championing the seafarers’ cause and, as he is diabetic, he often has to remind himself to stop to have a bite to eat.

“It’s up to us as inspectors to double check the facts and advise them (seafarers). I enjoy debates and challenges. Communication is often difficult because of the language barriers. I speak English, Afrikaans and a little bit of Spanish, but the crew often help with interpreting.”

He has worked with people from all walks of life, seafarers on fisheries, commercial and passenger vessels. About five years ago, he was involved with wage negotiations on board the passenger line the Symphonia. The ship was detained and eventually auctioned in order to pay the crew’s wages.

He remarked that the global economy also affects shipping. For example, the recent financial crisis in Greece has resulted in many of the Greek ship owners being unable to pay their crew. He said 60 percent of the vessels currently under arrest are Greek-owned.

He said inspectors often attend seminars to keep abreast of technology, legislation and new agreements.

Their workshop this year is expected to be held in Casablanca.

His most memorable experience as an ITF inspector was working with the crew who were on board the ill-fated MT Phoenix which ran aground on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast for just over a month and is now at the bottom of the ocean.

“Before it ran aground, we were standing by to arrest the ship. We were so disappointed that the ship was refloated and taken away to be sunk. The crew went back home to India with nothing.”

He said they could not arrest the ship while it was grounded and were waiting for high tide as the federation wanted the ship to be sold for scrap and the proceeds given to the crew for outstanding wages.

Zungu said the South African Maritime Safety Authority had declared the ship too old to be sold for scrap. The authority had reported that there was no point in pursuing the ship’s owners for payment of salvage efforts as The Phoenix was not covered with protection and indemnity insurance to offset the costs of preventing oil pollution and the subsequent wreck removal.

Theses costs were borne by the state and amounted to R39 million.

Zungu said the chief engineer had lost out on nine months’ salary – $97 000 (about R790 000) – during the time he was on board the ship, while other crew members had lost out on three-to four months’ salary.

At present, Zungu is waiting for SA to come on board regarding the International Labour Office’s Maritime Labour Convention of 2006, which he attended on behalf of the federation. This provides comprehensive rights and protection at work for the world’s more than 1.2 million seafarers.

The convention aims to achieve both decent work for seafarers and secure economic interests in fair competition for quality ship owners.

As an estimated 90% of world trade is carried on ships, seafarers are essential to international trade and the international economic and trade system.

“We are waiting for government to ratify this convention,” he said.

noelene.barbeau@inl.co.za