Chaos broke out when incensed members of civic movement Forum for South Africa (FOSA) stormed into the offices of Government Printing Works in Tshwane on Thursday morning.
This after Government Printing Works CEO Alinah Fosi failed to come and meet them outside the offices as agreed earlier on for the purpose of receiving their memorandum regarding the immediate reinstatement of 24 dismissed people who used to work as cleaners at the Government Printing Works.
The enraged FOSA members, alongside several dismissed workers, became angry when the security guard at the office told them that CEO Salinah Fosi was not available to speak to them and receive their memorandum.
As they didn’t believe what the security guard was telling them, they stormed into the building to ascertain if it was indeed true that the CEO was not available.
Police were called to the scene and after some duscussions, FOSA members agreed to leave the building, this as the absent Salinah Fosi had now notified them via email that her subordinate known as Legoabe may receive their memorandum on her behalf.
According to FOSA national leader Tebogo Mashilompane, the contracts of the cleaners were terminated in 2021 and their matter was handled by trade union Public Servants Association (PSA)which has failed them dismally until now, hence the dismissed cleaners turned to FOSA for help.
Mashilompane told Tshwane Talks that FOSA was formed 7 months ago and though it is not a trade union but a civic movement, they deemed it necessary to intervene in this matter, as the dismissed workers and their families are suffering as a result of being out of work.
“We are very much concerned about the fact that instead of absorbing the cleaners as permanent workers as agreed earlier on, the Government Printing Works CEO Salinah Fosi decided to get rid of them,” explained Mashilompane.
“FOSA has given the Government Printing Works and CEO Fosi 21 days to reinstate the dismissed cleaners or else we will go the legal route,” vowed Mashilompane.
“We suspect that there is an element of corruption in this matter and one of our demands is that if they fail to reinstate the dismissed 24 cleaners then they must pay them what is due to them,” enthused Mashilompane.
Copy of Memorandum:
MEMORANDUM OF DEMAND TO GOVERNMENT PRINTERS
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