The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] notes with serious concern the pronouncements made by the Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese to divorce from the services of Armscor on the basis of his feelings regarding his claim about inefficiency and poor performance on the side of Armscor Dockyard. When remarking at a 20 years long service medal parade in Simon’s Town in February 2024, he said “As the Chief of Navy, I have reached the end of my patience with their inability to repair the SA Navy ships”.

As NEHAWU, we wish to take this opportunity to provide free education and advice to the Chief of Navy that institutions regarded as national assets are not run on the basis of individual feelings rather of the collective efforts, ability and capacity to make them work efficiently and effectively. As he is waiting for advice from the senior management of SANDF and the Minister on the way forward, we call upon him to really put efforts to ensure proper functioning of Navy than folding his arms and loudly complain about his inability to fix the challenges facing Navy as he is not paid for such. 

Personal feelings must not be above building institutional and leadership capacity to stabilise and fixing challenges facing these national assets like Navy for instance. It is disappointing to hear from a person who is given a unique responsibility to run a sensitive institution like Navy attiring public statement that is personal than institutional in nature such as “Now that I am Chief of Navy, I am no longer willing to be held prisoner or being undermined by Armscor Dockyard”, really, Navy deserves better leadership calibre than this one.

While the Chief of Navy is waiting for Minister’s advice, the union is preparing to meet with the same Minister to discuss, among others, the calibre of leadership befitting to run such a sensitive and valuable institution like Navy and also developing strategies to fix what seems to be troubling Mr Lobese instead of complaining about challenges. On the other hand, NEHAWU is preparing to defend the existence of Armscor which has about 400 employees against this reckless, insensitive intention characterised by personal feelings of the Chief of Navy as it put the jobs of our members and workers at risk.

What more infuriating is that the union has never been consulted about this irritation of the Chief of Navy as a result there is a general anxiety and anger from our members as they do not know what the future holds for them as their jobs are not secured now. Indeed, it is our considered view as the union that the Chief of Navy was really insensitive when publicly made this announcement and this fighting nation union of 37 years of age with rich history of workers struggles shall not fold its arms and allow its members to be treated in such a despicable manner. 

It is common cause that these 400 employees are bread-winners to many families and such a decision will affect them by subjecting these families to hunger and poverty. Indeed, workers do not deserve such treatment and we call on Armscor management to also stand up for its employees and challenge this intention by the Chief of Navy.

NEHAWU will be requesting audience with the Minister of Defence, Director General and the Acting Secretary of Defence to urgently discuss this unfortunate announcement so as to find an amicable solution to it whilst at the very same time, the union will write to the Chief of Navy and voice its concerns on the matter.

Lastly, the union met with its members on Monday the 16th September 2024 and agreed on a program of action to be followed in dealing with this matter to the latter, as we are not going sit idle when jobs of our members are put at risk through irrational decisions.

END

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