Pain, frustration and tears befell both VWSA and Grinaker LTA Construction Company employees from late afternoon on May 30 to the next morning when three workers died when a crane broke.

The top part of the 70m high crane where three workers were working snapped, killing one worker on the spot whilst two hung there and died without any help.

The painful part was that when about 6000 VW employees were passing by to go to their different work stations to continue with production as normal, it is said that one of them was waving for help.

“Whist working class family members continue to die at the hands of capital, capital continues to prosper,” told VW workers who had gathered next to the accident area to pass messages of support to NUM and the families and friends of the victims of capital.

“If it was the managing director who had died, the whole plant would have been closed,” he said.

The company’s shop steward council chairperson, Mizumzi Chiliwe, said it was the third time at VWSA that workers had died but production had continued as normal as if nothing had happened.

“It is high time that we found a solution to the problem instead of coming after the incident just to witness.”

Sadness, pain, hatred and deep sympathy were written on the crowd’s faces when assembly full-time shopsteward Xola Blauw told them how the managing director had chased them back to work from the accident scene just after the accident had occurred.

Workplace accidents – a dying shame!

In just one week in Numsa-organised factories, three workers died and seven were injured in two separate accidents. While accidents in the mining and chemical industry get front page news, in Numsa sectors the steady pace of injuries and sometimes deaths is no less shocking.

Read these stories to get a flavour of what is going in Numsa workplaces. Safety must be our priority!

Izingozi emsebenzini – ihlazo lokufa!

Esontweni elilodwa nje emafektri ahlelwe yiNumsa, abasebenzi abathathu bashonile kwase kuthi abayisikhombisa balimala ezingozini ezimbili ezahlukene. Ngesikhathi izingozi zasezimayini nasezimbonini zamakhemikhali ziphuma phambili emakhasini ezindaba, nakuNumsa ukulimala okwenzeka ngamazinga avamile kwesinye isikhathi nokufa nakho kuyashaqisa ngendlela eyisimanga. Funda lezi zindaba ukuze uzitholele kancane okwehlakalayo ezindaweni zemisebenzi yeNumsa. Ukuphepha kufanele kube yinto ehamba phambili kithi!

Ongelukke by die werk – “˜n groot skande!

In twee afsonderlike ongelukke is drie werkers in slegs een week in fabrieke waar Numsa die vakbond is, dood, en sewe beseer. Terwyl ongelukke in die myn- en chemiese bedrywe voorbladnuus is, is daar ander Numsa-sektore waar die stygende hoeveelheid beserings en soms sterftes nie minder skokkend is nie.

Lees hierdie stories om “˜n idee te kry van wat by Numsa-werkplekke aan die gang is. Veiligheid moet ons prioriteit wees!

Dikotsi mosebetsing – mahlabisa dihlong a mahaolo!

Bekeng e le nngwe feela difekethering tseo Numsa e hlophisang basebetsi ho tsona, basebetsi ba bararo ba ile ba hlokahala mme ba supileng ba tswa dikotsi diketsahalong tse pedi tse arohaneng. Le ha dikotsi merafong le indastering ya dikhemikhale di hlaha ka pele ditabeng tse tlalehwang, mekgeng ya Numsa ho tlalehwa ha dikotsi, mme ka dinako tse ding le ho hlokahala ha basebetsi, ke ntho e swabisang haholo.

Bala ditaba tsena ho fumana mohlala wa se etsahalang dibakeng tsa ho sebetsa tsa Numsa. Polokeho ke yona ntho e lokelang ho ba ka hodimo lenaneng la rona!