Bank strike averted; Corrupt cops arrested; Heritage Day…
THE BAD NEWS
Police involvement in the central Pretoria drug trade. Following allegations of police officers’ involvement in the thriving drug trade in the Pretoria CBD, Gauteng management of the SAPS on Wednesday said there were ongoing arrests and dismissals of corrupt officers from law enforcement agencies.
“The allegation of police involvement in drug-related and other corrupt activities cannot be denied given the number of officers that have either been arrested and/or dismissed from the service for corruption since January 2019,” SAPS provincial spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said.
“The arrest and dismissal of police officers serves to reaffirm the commitment by the SAPS management in Gauteng that police are serious about combating fraud and corruption within the ranks, and rooting out criminal and corrupt elements from within the service.”
THE GOOD NEWS
842 suspects were arrested in Pretoria central for possession and/or dealing in drugs, while 391 were arrested in Sunnyside since January 2019 to date. Gauteng management of the SAPS on Wednesday said there were also ongoing arrests and dismissals of corrupt officers from law enforcement agencies due to corruption and police officer involvement in the thriving drug trade in Pretoria CBD.
“The SAPS has a zero-tolerance approach to any unethical and corrupt conduct by members of the service. No one is above the law.”
HERITAGE DAY
On Tuesday 24 September, South Africans celebrated Heritage Day.
Political leaders made the customary speeches, and President Cyril Ramaphosa underlined the need for unity among all South Africans, regardless of language or race.
He said: “Heritage Day gives all within South Africa the opportunity to celebrate our diverse backgrounds while accepting backgrounds which are different from our own. The diversity we are gifted with gives us an opportunity to learn from each other.”
However, the Human Rights Commission said it was deeply concerned that the diversity in the country had become the source for division and conflict, as seen in recent violence against foreigners. The Commission said in a statement that the preamble of the Constitution notes that South Africa belongs to all who live in it and that we should all be “united in our diversity”.
BANK STRIKE DECLARED ILLEGAL
The bank strike crashed at the 11th hour on Thursday but Cosatu and its affiliate, the SA Society of Bank Officials (SASBO), have vowed to regroup for a fight to stop the job loss bloodbath in the industry.
The reason for calling the strike in the first place was the closure of branches countrywide and the resultant laying off of staff. For example, Standard Bank announced the closure of 104 branches, the highest number yet.
This closing of branches and retrenching of staff is being called “digital disruption” and “the fourth industrial revolution” as it replaces people with automated processes and physical robots.
The strike was called by SASBO (South African Society of Bank Officials), supported by COSATU, with issues such as minimum salary levels, salary increases, and the exclusion of workers in the processes involved in the introduction of automation and AI (artificial intelligence) in the banks. SASBO general-secretary Joe Kokela has called for banks to “implement the fourth industrial revolution with patriotism and humanity”. He also wrote that “…the banks need to come up with employer-friendly alternatives when they go through these exercises. They need to provide skill development. They need to unearth the passion for affected employees for careers outside the banking sector.”
Brian Jones (SA7)
Brian’s Passionate Desk
Brian@BriansPD.World
http://bpd.trackbox.world
https://t.me/BriansPD
SOURCES;
1. Jonisayi Maromo: Arrests, dismissal of corrupt cops order of the day in Gauteng – SAPS, 25.09.2019, https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/arrests-dismissal-of-corrupt-cops-order-of-the-day-in-gauteng-saps-33542990
2. Siviwe Feketa: Heritage Day: Ramaphosa calls for unity in diversity, 25.09.2019, https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/heritage-day-ramaphosa-calls-for-unity-in-diversity-33524840
3. Ferial Haffajee: Bank workers can’t strike tomorrow, but their revolt against the robots has just begun, 26.09.2019, https://m.fin24.com/Opinion/Columnists/bank-workers-cant-strike-tomorrow-but-their-revolt-against-the-robots-has-just-begun-20190926
4. Duncan Alfreds: ‘Hi, I’m Pepper’ – first humanoid robot in SA gently introduces herself, 05.06.2019, https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/hi-im-pepper-first-humanoid-robot-in-sa-gently-introduces-herself-20180604
5. https://www.sasbo.org.za/about-us/who-we-are/financial-institutions/
6. Loyiso Sidimba: Bank strike war far from over, 27.09.2019, https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/bank-strike-war-far-from-over-33583129