STRIKE POSTPONED A STRIKE planned by the Congress of South African Trade Unions to protest against the Basic Conditions of Employment Bill has been postponed to June 2 and replaced with lunchtime demonstrations. Cosatu acted after the Labour Appeal Court found the federation had not first discussed its objections to the Bill at meetings of the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac). Cosatu has now served notice on Nedlac of its intention to strike.
BANK PROTEST A TWO-HOUR work stoppage by bank workers has been planned by the South African Society of Bank Officials for Thursday between 12 noon and 2pm to protest against the spate of violent bank robberies sweeping the country, most of them in Gauteng. Members of the banking union plan to march to the offices of provincial safety and security MECs and demanding government action against crime.
TELKOM SHAKE-UPALTHOUGH three senior Telkom executives who resigned at the weekend were not asked to leave, a Telkom spokesman said others who stay could lose their positions to managers appointed by foreign equity partners SBC and Telekom Malaysia. The two new partners are expected to contribute 75 new managers and five new board members. The resignation of Angus Band (finance), Peter Jordi (information technology) and Hannes Steyn (networks and technology), all members of the 12-person executive committee, follows the April 30 resignation of CEO Brian Clark.