Readers’ Views
Mofokeng has cost blacks Sasol jobs
THE improper relationship between Sasol and Simon Mofokeng, general secretary of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union, has cost black people a lot in terms of future opportunities at Sasol (“Sasol union scandal flares”, July 7).
Sasol management once said that if you keptMofokeng happy, then blacks were happy. That “happiness” assisted Sasol in submitting excuses to the Department of Labour that it was unable to meet its yearly black economic empowerment targets, irrespective of available black candidates with master’s and PhD degrees.
Mofokeng signed Sasol polices that benefited whites, who were promoted without meeting the minimum requirements, over blacks with both education and experience. Many blacks were lost to competitors as a result. Mofokeng has avoided meeting Sasol employees ever since.
— Dr TV Moleko, Rosebank
Workers still waiting for pensions redress
HAVING been involved in trade union activities, whereby members were treated as rubber-stampers of faceless union officials under the guise of fighting apartheid policies, I am not surprised by the mining debacle. The chickens have come home to roost (“False dawn for Motlanthe’s mining deal”, July 7).
If there was no sweetheart relationship between management and unions, why did it take the public sector so many years to campaign for apartheid-era pensions redress — while members who were not in unions are enjoying their pension benefits?
Where are our pension benefits? And, if ever we get paid, how will we know if the amount is what is due to us?
Or must we humbly accept the crumbs from our faceless masters?
— Mmamotlatsi Tlhapane, Mohlakeng
Thatcher stole from people to fund rich
STEPHEN Mulholland’s adulation of Margaret Thatcher shows ignorance of the plight of ordinary UK citizens, as well as the theatrical hypocrisy of the lady (“SA needs some of Maggie’s medicine”, July 7).
Her fire sale of nationalised industry was to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. The proceeds of the sale of council houses went to the central government to subsidise the tax cuts, and local government authorities were forbidden by law to have capital projects. This fuelled the housing crisis that still haunts the UK.
However, this act of robbery was surpassed by her government when the law was changed so that cleaning services to public establishments such as hospitals went to private companies. Thousands of employees were forced to work for poor wages and there was little employment equity.
Privatisation of that sort is a euphemism for theft from the people.
— TJ New Citizen
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