The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in Limpopo notes the investigations by the Hawks unit leading to the raid in the office of the Premier on Friday last week. We must indicate that as a trade union we welcome any investigation into corruption because our latest history in the province taught us that workers and the poor will ultimately suffer when corruption in not tackled head on.

We, however, are perturbed at the onslaught against our shop stewards in the office of the Premier immediately thereafter, characterized by spurious allegations against them. This is meant to sway attention from the real issues and problems in the office of the Premier.

Attacking of shop stewards is an old tactic that has been defeated for many years and there is no way it can triumph against the massive power of workers. We will never succumb to big boy mentally and allow this union to be bullied by those who think they possess ultimate power and can trample over everybody with impunity.

The union will never take kindly to union bashing through harassment of our shop stewards in the Office of the premier. Government must with immediate effect call off their “hunting dogs” from pursuing our shop stewards and focus on resolving demands of workers in this province. The union will implement all efforts and tactics to defend its members as well as its shop steward.

NEHAWU have lately decried the lack of leadership provided by the Director General Mr Nape Nchabeleng and have called on the premier to fire him with based on the following:
 
1.   It is under his leadership that workers in this province particularly in four departments namely, LEDET, Treasury, COGHSTA and Office of the Premier were taken to court seeking a declaratory order which will give the employer an order to deduct money from workers and reversing all translations which will result in drastic reduction of salaries of those workers.
2.   It is under his leadership that the Office of the Premier suffered an irregular expenditure to the tune of R3, 9 million hence the call to the premier to implement consequence management.
3.   It is under his administrative leadership that organizational structure was reviewed without proposer consultation with recognized trade unions.
4.   It is under his administrative leadership that he has implemented an unlawful and reduced traveling rates on subsidy cars which is against the national rates as determined by the national department of transport.
5.   It is under his leadership that workers in this province are being denied to be paid their pay progression backlog since 2012 even when government have reversed the problematic clause that discriminate workers who qualify.
 
We therefore make a call to the Premier that he must call off all attacks on our shop stewards and concentrate on solving problems affecting workers as raised by the union. We further demand that Director General must be fired due to the irregular expenditures as confirmed by the Auditor General. Government must allow credible investigations by the Hawks to continue unabated without interference.
 
Issued by NEHAWU Limpopo Secretariat Office