The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] is perplexed in the manner in which the section 197 transfer of 1982 employees from Department of Home Affairs, National Department of Health, Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development to the Border Management Authority (BMA) has been handled by the employer despite the PSCBC resolution signed by parties on the matter.
As NEHAWU, we have consistently opposed the creation of the Border Management Authority (BMA) and hollowing of the state capacity through agentification and outsourcing of government functions and the current situation faced by employees at BMA vindicates the union. This authority that is vested with protecting our borders and ports of entries is unable to manage the payroll of its 1982 employees, yet it must protect the citizens of this country.
From the first month, since the transfer, workers and our members in particular have been subjected to the following:
- Late payments of salaries for no reason
- Late or none issuing of salary advises
- Wrong tax deductions or no deductions at all
- None payment of third parties (bonds, policies and pension fund)
- None payment of overtime and allowances despite staff shortages
The BMA has lost a lot of money through outsourcing of the payroll system and all the institutions they sourced could not deliver but they pocketed thousands of rands.
The union has on numerous occasions requested a meeting with all the Director Generals of the affected departments and some of them have snubbed our request whilst others indicated that they are not available. What is more surprising is the silence of Department of Public Service and Administration as a leading department.
This situation cannot continue unabated, workers are frustrated and their morale is low because of this situation and empty promises. Currently, workers and our members have been subjected to heavy taxation and the BMA management cannot explain why this is the case.
Lastly, we call on the Departments to respect the Labour Relations Act and the PSCBC Resolution on this matter and meet with the union to resolve this situation urgently. The reason we want to meet the transferring departments is to properly manage the transition, whilst building capacity of BMA. Equally, we also call on the portfolio committee on Home Affairs to look into the fruitless expenditure in the Authority.
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Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968; December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969; Lwazi Nkolonzi (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 081 558 2335 or email: lwazin@nehawu.org.za