No need for another trainers’ association, says KZN body

Existing body ‘well run and able to produce audited financials’

KWAZULU-NATAL Trainers’ Association is of the opinion there is no need for another trainers’ association of employers.

The association’s vicechairperson, Tony Rivalland, said this week that a national trainers’ association with national interests in racing was at formation stage.

“It would interact with

Parliament and the national horseracing authority to promote the welfare of the sport. If we don’t promote the welfare of the sport, we are not going to have an industry. That’s why we will have a trainers’ association,” he said.

Rivalland said trainers were normally small-scale businesses, working with 20 to 200 horses.

“What’s important is that all trainers abide by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.”

Parliament’s committee on labour urged trainers in the horse-racing industry to organise themselves into an association of employers.

This followed recommendations by representatives of trainers on the working and living conditions of grooms and the labour department’s industry site inspections.

Earlier this month, the Portfolio Committee on Labour was briefed at Parliament by a representative of trainers on the working and living conditions of the grooms and on blitz inspections conducted by the Department of Labour in the horse racing industry, nationwide.

The committee observed, among other things from the briefing, that the industry was regulated by several departments, including the Department of Labour and the Department of Trade and Industry.

Grooms are employed by trainers, and trainers lease training premises from Phumelela Gaming and Leisure.

Phumelela is in charge of hostels where grooms live and trainers and grooms are not organised into recognised structures for negotiations.

Based on these observations, the committee recommended that the trainers organise themselves into an association of employers and that the grooms organise themselves into a trade union.

A trade union for grooms has been registered under the name South African Horsing Workers’ Union, with a membership of 7000.

Rivalland said while the national association was on the cards, Kwazulu-natal was properly structured as the organisation had been in existence for 28 years, well run and able to produce audited financials and board meetings.

Rivalland said the department continuously inspected the trainers’ facilities throughout the country.

He said for them, Gold Circle Horse Racing and Gambling was a non-proprietary company with all profits made going back into racing in the form of stakes that trickle down to owners, trainers, grooms and jockeys. There was no public component to it.

The entity said it provided free accommodation in Kwazulu-natal to the grooms with all utilities.

Rivalland said all it took for a groom to live on this property was that they had to be gainfully employed by a race-horse trainer licensed by the regulator.

The committee requested the Department of Labour to assist trainers and Phumelela to clarify their roles as joint employers of the grooms.

The department was also requested to conduct regular advocacy campaigns to make grooms and trainers aware of their rights and responsibilities.

Rivalland said their hostels were in reasonable condition and had been inspected by MPS before.