Denel workers demand that management resolves the issue of unpaid salaries
Workers affiliated to the National Union of Mineworkers (Numsa) picketed outside Denel’s head office in Centurion on 5 December, demanding answers from management over unpaid salaries. It is public knowledge that Denel is in financial distress, and Numsa workers want this issue – and other concerns – to be addressed.
The union gave the national arms company seven days to respond to workers’ demands and say they are ready to respond if they are unhappy with the feedback.
Numsa’s Enoch Masenamela says: “The company must pay the employees the salaries that they owe from May 2020 to date.” He adds that “The CEO is the one that controls the funds from the whole division. This money belongs to workers, and it must be paid.”
Speaking to eNCA, Denel chief executive Talib Sadik admitted there has been mismanagement of funds. “In the past, we were pulling cash for other purposes, so this is something that is not right,” he said. However, he says no money was allocated to the SOE in the medium-term budget policy statement because it was not requested.
