Johannesburg – The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has interdicted the strike planned for today and employees have been warned against participating in the labour action announced earlier this week by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).
RAF was granted an interdict Wednesday by the Labour Court against the planned strike.
The fund warned that the strike was unprotected and unlawful.
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The Labour Court ordered that:
- Numsa was interdicted and restrained from inciting, encouraging, participating in or otherwise acting in furtherance of the strike action in relation to its demands and/or grievances; and
- The order declaring the strike unprotected and interdicting and restraining Numsa from inciting, participating in, or acting in furtherance of the strike action is to operate with immediate effect pending the return date of the RAF’s application.
Commenting on the interdict, NUMSA said late Wednesday that it was advising workers at RAF that the strike had been interdicted.
“We are calling on workers to observe the interdict because we do not want them to suffer victimisation through disciplinary action and possible dismissal,” said Irvin Jim NUMSA General Secretary.
“We know most of our members are disappointed, however, we urge them to comply with the order.
The union said it was notified after 21:00 on Wednesday, (13 March 2024), that an interdict had been obtained.
“We must stress that the union was not properly served with papers and was denied the opportunity to state its case,” said Jim.
“We will do whatever is necessary to fight back against RAF for attempting to undermine the constitutional right to strike.”
Jim said the interdict would not stop the union from continuing to expose the “rot at RAF and the gross mismanagement of CEO Collins Letsoalo”.
He added: “We urge our officials and Shopstewards to do everything possible to communicate to all workers that the strike has been interdicted”.
