Industrial action: Telkom update
Approximately 1600 and 2100 Telkom bargaining unit employees nationally participated in industrial action on 3 and 4 August 2009 respectively.
Telkom has a total permanent workforce of 23 498 of which approximately 20 982 are bargaining unit staff. Membership of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) amounts to 7 700 of this.
However, the Company disappointingly notes that a number of incidents, especially suspected acts of sabotage and vandalism, have been reported from many parts of the country, especially KwaZulu-Natal.
“An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the damage. Early indications are that this may have been the work of vandals,” says Nombulelo Moholi, MD of Telkom SA.
By midday today, 17 incidents were reported to Telkom’s Asset and Revenue Protection Services (TARPS). Of these, 15 occurred in KZN and two in Gauteng. Damage to cable infrastructure and street distribution cabinets (SDCs) accounted for the majority of the reported incidents.
Telkom urges the public and its staff to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour with regard to Telkom’s infrastructure to TARPS’s National Security Control Centre at: 0800 041 041.
“Customers are assured that Telkom’s main priority remains the maintenance and, where necessary, the restoration of affected services. Telkom extends sincere apologies to all affected customers,” emphasised Moholi, adding that all suspected acts of sabotage and vandalism “will be fully investigated and that perpetrators will be dealt with through the criminal justice system”.