No arrests yet after construction strike death

As the conflict between GHC and National Union of Mineworkers enters its second month, police are still investigating the death of Pisana, who died on 14 May when striking workers marched to a site in Kraaifontein. The workers are involved in building schools in the Western Cape.

NUM claims Pisana was killed by security guards working for GHC, but GHC director Raziek Rajah said the gates were closed and the security guards were inside during the march to the site.

“We have a video showing that our gates were closed when this incident took place,” he told GroundUp. GroundUp has not yet seen the video.

On 29 May, after an application by GHC, the Labour Court issued a ruling ordering NUM and some of the striking workers to stop participating in the strike or in unlawful gatherings or demonstrations, and not to disrupt or disturb the peace at GHC sites or to prevent access to the sites.

Among other things, the strikers are demanding that GHC supply personal protective equipment, stop layoffs which they do not follow procedure, stop hiring “gangsters” and pay over R1.4 million in pension money to the Building and Industrial Development Council, the bargaining council that regulates minimum employment conditions in the building industry, including employee benefits such as retirement funds.

GHC claims that a site foreman was kidnapped by NUM members and held hostage and that a contract director was threatened with death.

But NUM shop-steward and GHC employee Sebenzile Walu-walu and NUM Western Cape regional coordinator Patrick Hlengisa denied the allegations. “We never kidnapped anyone,” Walu-walu said.

In a statement, the Building Industry Bargaining Council said the dispute had arisen over employees who were not receiving benefits or were receiving the wrong benefits. Other issues included overtime not paid at the correct rate, the Council said.

“The Council remains committed to resolving the ongoing conflict between NUM workers and Good Hope Construction; and is currently trying to resolve the issues related to this incident, which lead to the death of striking worker Melikhaya Pisana.”

The council said Pisana’s widow “is receiving a funeral benefit from the retirement fund administered by the BIBC and will receive a death benefit, after an investigation by the trustees of the fund, equal to four times Mr M Pesani’s annual salary. These payments are possible as Good Hope Construction was up to date with some of the contributions owing to employees.”

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said police were still investigating Pisana’s death. No arrests had been made.

The GHC workers’ strike is continuing.