Communication Workers Union

Communication Workers Union is very disturbed by the perpetual looting of Vodacom money by the former CEO, Alan knott Craig.  We really don’t understand why a person can acquire a lot of money while some members of our organisation are exploited by labour brokers in that field.  It is very immoral for the former Vodacom CEO to exploit our members at the expense of enriching himself and perpetually looting the public money for his personal interest.

We still recap our call of publicising the report of alleged nepotism and awarding of tenders to Alan Knott Craig’s family, in the form of his sons and nieces. We exact that former CEO and Vodacom must be brought to book and that any financial losers suffered as a result of any form of corrupt act must be recovered.

Our members and workers in general are being victimised and threatened with dismissal letters every day by Vodacom when they are trying to raise their grievances. This is clear exploitation of a man by man. It reminds our Union with an apartheid days by the white minority, when blacks in the main would not dare to raise or express any grievance against any white minority in any capacity, socially, economically or politically, for fear of detainment covert executions etc.

1.   South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC)

1.1  SABC Board and CEO

CWU welcome the new board of the SABC led by its Chairperson and the confirmation of acceptance of the SABC CEO. We have seen some conspiracy tendencies by some nameless people who want to destabilize our SABC by spreading baseless rumours. We want to warn anyone exercising these “Mbeki Era tendencies” with the intend to cause the Public Broadcaster any kind of harm, that they will be exposed and be faced with the full might of the workers. CWU want to assure the public and the new SABC Board that it will work closely with the new leadership of the SABC to make sure that workers interests are esteemed.

1.2  Transformation at the SABC

CWU want to encourage the new SABC leadership to promote the spirit of meaningful and ongoing engagement with the union particularly around consultation on the entire spectrum of transformation.

Communication Workers Union is disgusted about reports of former Chief Executive Officer, Alan Knott-Craig of Vodacom on gross management of funds in that institution.  We call the upper echelons of Vodacom to release the KPMG Forensic report to be publicised and been seen by the public. We will never allow anyone to use our public funds for his personal interest.

CWU also call on Minister of Communications, General Siphiwe Nyanda to set up a commission of enquiry to Vodacom and have thorough investigation on this greediness of looting public funds.  And if the former CEO indeed was involved in these illegal processes of issuing tenders to his son and nieces without following proper procedures, he must face the music and be dealt with.

We will never allow any individual who hold any position of responsibility to abuse that position to enrich himself or herself or his family nor a girlfriend or a boyfriend at expense of our workers. Workers play a critical role in the economy of this country.  As CWU, we will never rest until this people are brought to books.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) notes the cellular network operator’s agreement and commitments to reduce their interconnection fees over a three-year period starting from March 1, 2010. This commitment is a victory and should be celebrated by the working class and the poor users of MTN, Vodacom and Cell C networks.

This agreement and commitment by the three network operator’s is consistent with the organized labour battle for government to lower the cost of living for the working class and the poor, as opposed lowering the cost of doing business for capital. The Ministry of Communications should be applauded for effectively using the parliamentary and executive power entrusted to the ANC by the people of South Africa to advance their needs and interests.