Satawu plans nationwide protest over Durban container terminal deal

The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) is planning nationwide marches on November 3 in protest at the impending partial privatisation of Transnet.

In July, Transnet announced International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) of the Philippines as the preferred bidder for a 25-year joint venture with Transnet Port Terminals to develop and upgrade Durban Container Terminal Pier 2.

The two trade unions representing Transnet employees, the United National Transport Union (Untu) and Satawu objected to the announcement and accused the state-owned ports and rail operator of bringing in the company before concluding consultations. They also accused ICTSI of violating human rights where it operates, a charge the company denies.

Satawu general secretary Jack Mazibuko said next week’s march comes after almost two years of engagement with Transnet over the contentious concessioning of its ports.

“We have entered into a number of engagements with Transnet management with a plan to turn the situation around. We put certain proposals to Transnet which we think can [help] turn things around but according to Transnet and the shareholder, which is the department of public enterprises, they believe that for them to turn the situation around, they [must] privatise Transnet,” he said.

Satawu was “not convinced” by the move as the union “strongly believes there will be job losses if we allow this process to unfold”.

“Also, we’ll be selling our last sovereignty as a country to the private partnership. So we said to Transnet, ‘let’s find means and ways’,” he said.

Mazibuko said the best way to assist Transnet would be a cash injection from the government to help fix the ageing infrastructure, especially at the ports.

Such a bailout could be paid back over a period of five years, he explained, given that Transnet is profitable.  

Mazibuko gave an update on the union's preparations for the planned protest.

“We have approached our federations, Cosatu and Fedusa, wherein we have requested that they need to get us a certificate through Nedlac [the National Economic Development and Labour Council],” he said.

“We will shut down Transnet for a day as a way of showing the government and management that workers don’t want privatisation. Should it happen that the message is not getting across, we’ll be doing another application where we’ll take time exercising the labour power that we have.”

Marches are scheduled to take place in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and the Western Cape, as well as at other Transnet depots.

The main march is scheduled for Durban, where the union plans to march to the premier’s office and the department of public enterprises to hand over a memorandum.

Satawu confirmed it was continuing discussions with Untu to join the protest.

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