Nehawu members hold agriculture minister hostage in his office
Director-general Mike Mlengana says Senzeni Zokwana told him National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union members were preventing him from leaving his Pretoria office
Union members stormed the Pretoria office of agriculture minister Senzeni Zokwana on Friday in an attempt to remove him. Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries director-general Mike Mlengana said he received a call from Zokwana telling him members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) had breached several security points and were preventing him from leaving his Arcadia office. Mlengana said he was on his way to the Nampo Harvest Day agricultural show in Bothaville‚ Free State‚ when Zokwana called. "I immediately made a call to the head of HR [human resources] to go and let me talk to the Nehawu guys. I asked them what’s going on‚ and they said they are demanding that the minister be removed‚ that the minister has to leave by the back door‚" he said. Nehawu represents many agriculture department staff‚ and the union has been vocal in expressing its dissatisfaction with Zokwana. But it has also been accused of playing into a factional battle wi...
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