Odendaal and Trollip must fall
YOUR lead article (The Herald, May 15) poses some serious questions.
While we understand the principle to save jobs, what comes to mind is that these white monopoly capital-controlled businesses basically blackmailed the NMBM and severely affected the cashflow of the municipality, affecting its capacity to effect service delivery – at the expense of the poorest of the poor.
The question to be asked is: what criteria are being used in these negotiations?
One company in particular in Uitenhage has an atrocious record in the way it treats its black workers. In fact, several years back this company made headlines in The Herald for the non-living, slave wages it was paying its black workers. It was exploitation of the worst kind for a company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. It employs labour brokers to effect its reign of terror over the working class.
It is critical, in the interests of social justice and radical economic transformation, that NMBM considers the labour relations track record of each of these high-energy usage companies.
The decision to shift the load to cash-strapped households confirms that the DA-controlled NMBM favours big business above the poorest of the poor. This is again confirmation that it is the ANC that remains the voice of the marginalised and the poor. Retief Odendaal and Athol Trollip must fall. I write the above without prejudice.
DR Galloway, Uitenhage