Strike leaves MPs lost in translation

FOR the first time in South African history, a scheduled sitting of the National Assembly was postponed for hours as aggrieved striking parliamentary officials blocked MPs from entering the house.

The move by parliamentary staffers brought the institution to a near standstill yesterday as officials from all units downed tools over performance bonuses and conditions of service as well as security vetting and outsourcing.

Committee secretaries, researchers, translators and content advisors downed tools on Friday, with the action continuing this week. Riot police were also dispatched to keep a close eye as hundreds of National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members protested inside the parliamentary precinct.

Parliament is home to Nehawu ’ s biggest branch in the Western Cape. Workers blocked the entrance to the National Assembly in an unprecedented attempt to prevent a scheduled sitting from taking place.

“Secretary to parliament Gengezi Mgidlana said that the sitting will continue as usual. He also claimed the strike is not supported by all.

“The action is supported by all, even those who aren ’ t members of Nehawu,” said Nehawu ’ s Sthe Tembe.

“It will go on until we get what we want, particularly the issue of performance bonuses, which must be based on total package (of each official),” said Tembe.

Mgidlana held a hastily organised press conference on Monday where he said the business of parliament would carry on as planned.

He also said Nehawu ’ s grievances fell outside the agreement signed by the union and parliament in March, a claim dismissed by the union.

“In fact, he (Mgidlana) was being economical with the truth. The agreement is the one we signed in March which spoke about performance bonuses,” said Tembe.

The 11am sitting eventually took place at 2pm where MPs discussed the strike but without translation services as all the translators, except those translating into Afrikaans, English and Xhosa, were on strike.

Speaking in Tsonga to highlight the need for translators in light of the strike, EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu queried parliament ’“s uncaring ” attitude towards its striking workers.

House of assembly chair Cedric Frolick acknowledged that translation services were limited.

Responding to the disturbances and unprotected strike, Mgidlana said yesterday that he was directly engaging with Nehawu and was confident “we will be able to find each other ”.

He also referred to a 2010 court interdict that prevents union members from protesting inside the parliamentary precinct.