Latest news with #Thandi
IOL News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
When Playing Politics Misinforms the Public
The community of KwaNdengezi has been without running water for weeks which has made their lives even harder because it is during school holidays. Image: Tumi Pakkies / Independent Newspapers Media reports tell us that the Powers and Privileges Committee recently referred uMkhonto we Sizwe party member and parliamentarian, Visvin Reddy to the Disciplinary Committee following his yelling "Pemmy must go" on March 4, 2025 during a sitting of the National Assembly to debate unreliable water supply to residents in Germiston. The Pemmy in question being, of course, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina who Mr. Reddy blamed for her (mis)handling of that crisis. Next year, it will be 30 years since the promulgation of the Constitution. Next year too, we shall be voting in local elections and it is worth asking South Africans whether our politicians are serving us well. In this case, Mr. Reddy, rather than Ms. Majodina, failed South Africa dismally as he played politics. To begin, the complaint that was being debated on the day in question was in reference to a 2023 petition that affected residents of Wards 20, 29, 36 and 92 in Germiston. At that time, Ms. Majodina was not the Minister heading that portfolio. Even if she were, neither her Ministry nor would she have been the right person to rail against. Many of us do not know who owns water and generally it becomes an issue only when it's not flowing from our taps otherwise its not something we think much about. A small tutorial as received from Rand Water Chair who also happens to be Chair of Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa (AWSISA), Mr. Ramateu Monyokolo proved that Mr. Reddy railed against the wrong person and department. In South Africa, water belongs to the Department of Water and Sanitation. The water boards then get water from the department and purify it and provide to municipalities. Municipalities provide the water to the consumers (us). And yes. Unfortunately this water doesn't always trickle down when we want it and how we want it but the rand and rant must and should stop, by and large, with municipalities who tend to politicise their roles, in the case in question, Ekurhuleni Municipality. Much like our Constitution which it is a part of, South Africa has a water policy that is admired worldwide but that does not always deliver to the people. In my chat with Mr. Monyokolo, I tried to understand how some of the problems we have in accessing water can be solved. The fact that, I, a regular Thandi, can be curious enough to be an active citizen and seek this information out should make the Honourable Member of Parliament, and his party, ask the same about his actions, more so because he has the responsibility of making laws for the rest of us. Perhaps the key questions that Mr. Reddy should have been asking – and which I have been asking since I travelled the country in an attempt to understand the state of the nation last year – should have been more on why, as we go into local elections next year, our municipalities are failing us in water provision. It's worth noting that in 1994, there were 19 Water Boards. Due to non-payment of bills by municipalities, many of those water boards went bankrupt and now we currently have seven water boards nationwide with at least two about to shut down due again to non-payment of bills timeously by municipalities. This is particularly irking as municipalities have no problem cutting water supplies when individuals and companies do not pay what's owed to them so why exactly are they not passing on the payments they receive from us so that water boards can continue doing their jobs? Both water boards, as State Owned Enterprises, and municipalities, are public bodies that exist to serve the people of South Africa. It would therefore be problematic for water boards to take the municipalities, some of them often bankrupt, to court to ensure that they meet their obligations. And water is a basic need so often water boards, at their own expense, find themselves providing water and then risking bankruptcy. How then do we ensure that municipalities keep their end of the bargain to the water boards and pay what is owed and how too do we ensure they provide service to residents so that we can be guaranteed clean water? These are the questions Mr. Reddy should be asking. Another worthwhile question to ask, again to municipalities, is how they are not serving the no/low-income citizens. Our national water policy gives us equitable access to water which includes Free Basic Water or subsidised basic water services to low-income households. Unfortunately while the idea is great in theory, it has been difficult to implement practically and this is not due to failure from the Department or the Water Boards but again from the municipalities and a different Ministry. The community of KwaNdengezi has been without running water for weeks which has made their lives even harder because it is during school holidays. Image: Tumi Pakkies / Independent Media
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months — a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure — it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate: To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernise systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains: Who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federation pocketing board fees? or • Are the employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures — and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. Tahir Maepa, the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa, and founder of the Resistance Against Impunity Movement
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Who Ate the Cheese?' The CCMA's collapse and the betrayal of South African workers
To blame the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie, says the writer. When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3a entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it is mandated to operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access — have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. A Competent Leader, Shackled by Neglect To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
The collapse of the CCMA: Betraying South Africa's workers
CCMA's collapse has led to the betrayal of South Africa's workers, says the writer. Image: Picture: Pexels When Thandi, a domestic worker in Johannesburg, was unfairly dismissed without severance pay, she turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA), a body designed to protect workers like her. Today, Thandi waits endlessly for justice. The CCMA, once a beacon of post-apartheid labour reform, is collapsing under maladministration, corruption, and the deafening silence of those meant to safeguard it. A Legislative Promise Betrayed Established under Section 112 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and enshrined in Section 23 of the Constitution, the CCMA was created to 'advance economic development, social justice, labour peace, and the democratisation of the workplace.' As a Schedule 3A entity under the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), it must operate independently, free from political, union, or corporate influence. Its functions, from conciliating disputes to training on labour law, were designed to empower workers. Yet today, the CCMA's doors are closing. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Service centres in Black communities—critical for workers without digital access—have shuttered. Walk-in advice desks, once lifelines for the vulnerable, are gone. The nightmare began in late 2020, when budget cuts axed part-time commissioners, stranding thousands of cases. What was framed as a 'temporary measure' has become a permanent injustice. To blame the CCMA's collapse on institutional incompetence would be a lie. The current Director, Advocate Cameron Morajane, is a seasoned labour law expert with a track record of integrity. Colleagues praise his commitment to fairness and the innovative traits evident in his push for digitising case management and expanding rural outreach. Yet even the most capable leader cannot perform miracles without resources. The Director's hands are tied. With a stagnant budget and a 40% reduction in part-time commissioners since 2020, his team is forced to triage cases. 'We're firefighting, not fireproofing,' a staffer admitted anonymously. The Director's proposals for sustainable funding models, including public-private partnerships, gather dust in Treasury offices. Competence means little when the system is designed to fail. Who Benefits from the CCMA's Decline? The answer lies in who 'ate the cheese.' While workers suffer, employers flout labour laws with impunity. Unfair dismissals, retrenchments, and workplace exploitation surge as the CCMA buckles. Yet the state, led by former trade unionists, turns a blind eye. These leaders rode to power on the backs of workers like Thandi, but now preside over the erosion of their rights. Equally culpable are South Africa's labour federations, who sit on the CCMA's board through Nedlac, earning lucrative fees while workers starve. Their silence is deafening. Where is the outrage over closed service centres? Where is the demand for accountability? Their inaction suggests complicity in a system where justice is rationed for the privileged. The Human Cost of Institutional Rot The CCMA's R900 million budget (unchanged since 2023) is dwarfed by entities like the Competition Commission (R1.4 billion). Meanwhile, the Labour Court backlog now exceeds 18 months—a direct result of the CCMA's paralysis. Workers wait six months for hearings; others give up entirely. This isn't bureaucratic failure—it's systemic betrayal. The victims are always the same: Black workers in townships, domestic employees, and farm labourers. They are dismissed without pay, harassed without recourse, and silenced without a platform. The constitutional 'safety net' is a cruel illusion. Reclaiming the CCMA's Mandate To salvage the CCMA, three steps are urgent: 1. Increase funding and reinstate part-time commissioners, reopen service centres, and modernize systems. 2. Hold labour federations accountable and change the status of their board seats to advocacy, not apathy. 3. Prosecute employers who exploit the CCMA's collapse to violate labour laws. The question remains who ate the cheese? • Was it the state officials diverting funds? • The federations pocketing board fees? • The employers thriving in chaos? Until this is answered, the CCMA's promise remains a carcass picked clean by vultures—and even its most capable leaders are left powerless. South Africa's workers deserve more than crumbs. They deserve justice. *Maepa is the Secretary General of the Public Service and Commercial Union of South Africa (PSCU) and founder of Resistance Against Impunity Movement (RAIM) NPC. **The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media
CBS News
26-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
West Sacramento Sikh temple president speaks out after judge keeps ICE out of places of worship
WEST SACRAMENTO — A federal judge ruled in favor of a West Sacramento Sikh temple in a lawsuit over President Trump's immigration enforcement policy. Narinder Singh Thandi is the president of Gurdwara Sahib Sikh Temple Sacramento, of which 50% of the congregation are immigrants, including some who are undocumented. "They should come pray openly. They should not have any fear of being arrested or not," Thandi said. "Just let people know this is a great country, United States of America, so if somebody is doing something wrong, you speak up. Speak up for your rights. File the complaint." A judge ruled in favor of his temple and the other religious institutions that were part of the lawsuit requiring the Department of Homeland Security to "avoid enforcement actions in or near places of worship to the fullest extent possible." The religious institutions suit claims the policy allows immigration enforcement officers to use their "common sense" in deciding whether to enter houses of worship — a change from past policies that sought to avoid enforcement in sensitive places. Civil rights attorney Jeffrey Kravitz said that the protections are minimal because the judge's order only applies to the religious institutions that filed the lawsuit, not to every house of worship in the country, and as has been a longtime federal law. If an officer has a warrant, they can still go into any house of worship. "I think people are going to be somewhat happy that this decision was given, but it's not much," Kravitz said. "When you get to the heart of the issue, which is warrants, it makes no difference." Kravitz said he believes the federal government will file an appeal on this ruling. "So I'm telling everybody no need to be fear. So enjoy the system, believe in the system, believe in God, thank you very much," Thandi said.
