BMWU in U-turn on suspensions
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday October 21, 2015 17:08
Yesterday, union insiders said the move came after the five suspended members threatened to take the BMWU’s new committee to court, in yet another chapter of tensions among the mineworkers.
The suspensions had been slapped on former general secretary, Bob Malele, former deputy president Joseph Tsimako, former deputy general secretary Sebatlaladi Ramoitoi, former treasurer Peter Marewa and former chairperson (Safety, Health and Environment) David Lesejane. They had also been barred from accessing union offices, pending an investigation into their conduct while in office.
Insiders said members of the outgoing committee had since decided to drop the urgent application in which they were challenging their suspension.
Yesterday, the BMWU, through its president, Jack Tlhagale, rescinded the suspension letters.
“Reference is made to the letter of suspension served on you dated 14 October 2015. Please note that, that letter is hereby withdrawn. Ignore the contents thereof,” Tlhagale stated in his letter.
Malele told Mmegi that there was no further need to pursue a legal challenge as the suspension had been lifted.
“We received withdrawal letters of our suspension late Monday evening. There is no need for us to go to court now since we can access the union office. The law requires us to hand over after a month. And we don’t have a problem with handing over. That is why we had previously suggested the 17th of this month,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a new turn of events, the five members have now written to the Commissioner of Labour asking for the suspension of the registration of the new committee pending investigations. The divisions within the union were evident during its September congress where two camps emerged pitting Tlhagale against Malele.