Durban’s port operations could be plunged into turmoil if Transnet does not solve the problems of casual workers who claim they have been physically abused and robbed of money by members of what they say is an illegal union.
Port manager Ricky Bhikraj confirmed that while they were “operating as normal”, port operators had been put on high alert as a precautionary measure. E-mails have been sent to companies operating in the port warning them to be alert and to report any industrial action.
The warnings follow a protest outside the Transnet headquarters in Durban on Monday in which port workers who are casually employed called on Transnet to deal with the Services Industry Employees Union and its founder, Willie Cira, or face industrial action.
Attempts to get comment from Cira have been unsuccessful.
Insiders say operations in the port are being run in a “mafia-like” way in which companies can only employ workers through certain la-bour brokers and that workers have to pay R20 for every shift they work, sometimes up to R40 a day.
They say Cira dictates how many people should be employed and for what period, even if the number of workers is more than is needed for a particular job.
The workers have also accused Cira and his union of colluding with certain labour brokers, like ILembe Outsourcing, which meant that they monopolised labour in the harbour.
ILembe Outsourcing director Louis Pheiffer said the allegations against his company were “absolute hogwash” and blamed the unhappiness among workers on a stevedoring company which refused to employ unionised workers.
He said his company was in good standing with the government and had always paid over all wage deductions as required by law. He said just because a union was not registered did not mean that it could not represent workers.
“We are running a good ship,” Pheiffer said.
However, Ntokozo Nzuza, of the Marine Workers Concerned Group, said despite being forced to pay for every shift worked, they had no UIF, no permanent jobs and did not get receipts.
“He (Cira) is bigger than Transnet and they have been helpless against this man,” said Nzuza.
He said the labour brokers deducted the R20 shift fee from workers’ wages without authorisation or debit orders.
Nzuza said Cira was so powerful that in the past he had stopped work on vessels in the port.
Port worker Joseph Ncube said he had been beaten up and his arm had been broken last month “for the sin of asking why my wages were not in my account”.
Bhikraj said Transnet was aware of the union which “allegedly” represented a sector which provided casual labour to the formalised stevedoring industry.
“The Transnet National Ports Authority responsible for port oversight, which includes the licensing of stevedoring companies to operate in the port, is conducting a thorough investigation into the existence of this organisation and allegations of its activities.
“The Ports Authority takes a serious view of any allegation of illegal activity associated with the port and will act together with law enforcement agencies to take any action that may be relevant or necessary,” Bhikraj said.
Transnet had consulted various port stakeholders and the organised stevedoring sector about the union and there was “no evidence of a registered or recognised employee labour union going by the name”.
Joseph Dube, a shop steward of the Cosatu-aligned SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), which also operates in the harbour, said the Services Industry Em- ployees Union used to be legitimate many years ago, but was deregistered in 2005 for not complying with the Labour Relations Act.
Attempts to get hold of Cira have been unsuccessful. One of his alleged associates, known as “Tokoloshe” or “Anthony”, said he would not put The Mercury in touch with Cira until it was revealed who had been complaining and who had given their numbers.
“You a bad snake. There’s bad people behind you who wants to get us. You bloody s***, voetsek,” he said to The Mercury before switching off his phone. - The Mercury