Labour dispute halts R164m remembrance centre for Baartman
THE construction of a multimillionrand remembrance centre meant to honour Sarah Baartman has been delayed because of ongoing labour disputes between workers and the company working on the project.
The R164-million Sarah Baartman Centre of Remembrance is being built adjacent to the Khoi icon’s grave at Hankey.
It is funded by the National Department of Arts and Culture.
Fifteen general workers and bricklayers from Hankey’s Weston township were fired earlier this year after a payment disagreement with the company, Lubbe Construction.
When The Herald visited the area, there was a subcontractor on site.
Zandisile Masoka, one of the fired workers, said they were paid R150 per day instead of the R280 that was promised by the company when the project started in May last year.
Kouga municipal spokesman Mfundo Sobele said the project was being delayed by the dispute between the company and the dismissed workers.
“The project is meant to be finished within 30 months [by September next year] according to the target of the department. There was a strike by the workers because of a payment rate and the project is delayed because of that,” Sobele said.
Masoka said they had no option but to go to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to get help.
“We went to the CCMA because even our own councillors turned their backs on us when we got fired,” he said.
The group received an arbitration award in March which instructed Lubbe to reinstate all 15 workers by April 3, with back-pay from January to April.
However, Lubbe Construction’s human resources manager, Philisile Khaba, said the case between the workers and the company was still pending.
“The matter between Lubbe Construction and the 15 dismissed employees is still at CCMA level. The company was not represented when that certificate was issued [arbitration award].
“The company awaits a response from the CCMA for the outcome of the
‘ Even our own councillors turned their backs on us when we got fired
application of the appeal,” Khaba said.
Sobele said the municipality could not get involved now because the matter was with the CCMA.
“Unfortunately, our hands are tied. We tried to assist before but there is really nothing the municipality can do now because the matter is between them and the construction company,” he said.
Another worker, Zalisile Matiwana, accused Lubbe Construction of abuse and unfair labour practices. “We were working very well and then all of a sudden we were told the job is over, we are dismissed,” Matiwana said.
Masoka said he doubted the project would be finished because of the “abuse” by the construction company. “It will be a miracle to see this project finished because there is corruption going on there,” he said.