HUNDREDS of angry union members have threatened not to vote next year if government doesn’t bail out struggling state-owned company Denel.
The Numsa members, carrying placards and marching to the public enterprise ministry offices in Tshwane on Friday, delivered a memorandum of demands.
One of their placards read: “Bail out Denel or no votes next year!”
They chanted that the weapons maker was not for sale.
They said failure to bail out Denel put thousands of jobs and the country’s security at risk.
They called on Denel management and ANC leaders to take full responsibility for the reckless decisions that had put the company in the position it found itself in.
Denel is reportedly struggling to pay salaries to its workers.
Numsa spokesman Phakamile Hlubi said the company wanted to cut salaries by 20%.
“We reject this because it’s not workers’ fault that Denel finds itself in this position,” he said.
“It’s because of poor decision making at the highest level.”
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim called on government to inject at least R7 billion into the company.
“Our demand is that Denel must be recapitalised and be seen as a strategic investment in the security of our country.”
The marchers called on Minister Pravin Gordhan to respond to their demands within two weeks.
Denel deputy director-general, Kgathatso Tlhakudi, received the memorandum.
