IS THERE A NEED FOR WORKERS UNION?.

After all that happened last week in Marikana whereby 44 people lost their lives, I no longer see a need for workers' union. This is resulted by the unions failing to represent their workers not only in the mining sector but in all industries. When looking at Lonmin Tragedy it is quite clear that the worker's union are not doing as much as they are expected to represent their workers. The lost of 44 lives should be avoided if the worker's union engaged to remedy the situation with the mine management.

What is the role of workers' union after all? does their presence serve its members as they were supposed to? I think these unions should perish. I do not value its existence because workers themselves are doing what the union supposed to do on behalf of their members. So if the workers can represent themselves instead of their union, then what is the salient of having union? Those unions' leaders are just developing and enriching themselves than caring for their members. As a workers' union they should listen to their members and represent them before workers engage in violence protests. Why do they have to stand on management's side while their workers are protesting for the wage increase?

They should always stand for their members because they exist to serve them. The so-called illegal strike would not take place if the unions listen to its members and channel the communicated message to the management. Communication is a very useful and only way to resolve any issue. The public relations practioner or communication practitioners of both the organisation and the union should have predicted the results for the strike and advice the top management about what might happens-the consequences of the strike before-hand.

THE MANAGEMENT'S FAILURE TO RESPOND TO WORKER'S DEMANDS DAMAGED THEIR IMAGE AND REPETITION

I was really taken aback by the incident at Marikana Lonmin platinum mine in Rustenburg North West province in which 35 protesters lost their lives yesterday. The police opened fire and shot 35 people to death and left several injured. This is the management failure to take into account their worker's demands and communicate with them about measures to be taken in order to resolve the issues with staff members.This has claimed 35 people's lives, which should have been avoided if the management has taken their demands into account. This tragedy has never been experienced



(The police and the dead protesters
after the shot in Lonmin mine)

in South African mines industry. I am thinking about how the families who lost their loved ones going to survive. Some of them they were only depending to those who dead for their living. apparently, this will increase the poverty rates in our country. What are the management's plan after all? How are they going to win back their good repetition and image that they had before? Hence they failed to handle the matter with their workers, so what about convincing and changing the public's perception at large?

They are really facing a great challenge. I am asking myself so many questions as to who to blame after all? The management of the mine, the national police commissioner or the minister of police himself? However, I do rather attribute the blame to the management which failed to sort things out with their workers before  hand at the first place. President Jacob Zuma said he was "shocked and dismayed at this senseless violence". He is now on his way from (SADC) summit which was organised at Mozambique in order to avail himself to the media conference today in Marikana pertaining the tragic violence.

WOMEN'S DAY USED TO RESTORE THE DIGNITY AND UPLIFT THE STANDARD OF WOMEN

The very important part of the Women's Day was the dignity restoration to all South African women in particular. This comes after the assualt to a number of women in Johannesburg MTN taxi rank Noord street by taxi drivers. They used to shout for the ladies who wear short skirt which is popular known as (please-call-me). I was really embarrassed by the mob of Taxi Drivers who were yelling and laughing to the ladie at MTN taxi rank while I was driving home from Auckland Park earliar this year. Her day was suddenly ruined by the mob who was yelling behind her back. A month later after the several assualt of women, we have seen them matching in Johannesburg streets from MTN taxi rank to Bree taxi rank. They were matching against the inhumane by the taxi drivers who assuslt them several times. This was their reflection that they need to be respected and to exercise their rights, especially for their outfit.

Why don't we, men respect women? Why don't we behave ourself and let them exercise their rights?  Who are we without them? It is rather annoying in the independent country like South Africa to have such bad tendecy still existing among South Africans. Let us value their role in building our nation. I think it is very important to have the whole month dedicated to women. This will eventually change their perception  and the stereotypes we assigned to them that"women are inferior to men''. Let us help them to uplift their standard of education through giving them the opportunity to be educated.

ANGIE MOTSHEKGA FIGHTING BACK FOR HER DISTORTED IMAGE

The minister of basic education Angie Motshekga working hard to restore her department's image and perception that has been distorted to the public since earlier this year. This is the results for the department failing to deliver text books for basic education in Limpopo Province. It is rather annoying in the country that is developing to have school that the department fails to deliver books in this time of the year, hence this should have been done right away in the beginning of the year to ensure the better education for all South Africans.

(MEC for Basic Education;
Engie Motshekga)

• I am really surprised as to why such a failure happen only in Limpopo?
• Is the department of basic education working effectively at Limpopo in particular?
• Why did the department fail to take into account this matter earlier?
• Are they going to achieve the restoration for their image in quite a short run?

The minister is currently having discussions with the Limpopo school's principals in order to remedy the situation. However, it is too late now to look for solutions since the year is long gone. The image for the Minister is damaged and she is regarded as incompetent to the position by failing to ensure that all schools are equipped with all necessary materials in time without any delay.