Soundbytes from Somalia Part 4

Last year, Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton travelled to the Horn of Africa with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers. During his stay in Somalia he had the opportunity to speak to various volunteers who were part of the aid mission. This is part 4 of a series of features on Somalia, produced by Dorianne Arendse and Shafiq Morton... Soundbytes from Somalia part 4 by Darendse

Soundbytes from Somalia Part 3

Late last year, Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton travelled with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers to the Horn of Africa. This is part 3 of a series of features on Somalia, produced by Dorianne Arendse and Shafiq Morton. SOMALIA SOUNDBYTES PART 3 by Darendse

Soundbytes from Somalia Part 2

Late last year, Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton travelled with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers to the Horn of Africa. This is part 2 of a series of features on Somalia, produced by Dorianne Arendse and Shafiq Morton. SOMALIA SOUNDBYTES PART 2 by Darendse

Soundbytes from Somalia Part 1

Late last year, Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton travelled with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers to the Horn of Africa. This is part 1 of a series of features on Somalia, produced by Dorianne Arendse and Shafiq Morton. SOMALIA SOUNDBYTES PART 1 by Darendse

MK Celebrates 50 year anniversary

Last week I had the opportunity to interview former Rivonia trialist, Denis Goldberg about the role he played in Umkhonto weSizwe. This interview was first flighted on the Voice of the Cape Drivetime Show host by Shafiq Morton on 16 December 2011. DENIS GOLDBERG PART 1 by Darendse DENIS GOLDBERG PART 2 by Darendse

Flame of Democracy lit at Constitution Hill

Last Sunday Deputy President, Kgalema Mothlante lit the Flame of Democracy at Constitution Hill to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the signing of South Africa’s Constitution. The torch used by Deptuty President Mothlante to light the flame came from a candle lit by former President, Nelson Mandela at his home in Quna. VOC Current Affairs Producer, Dorianne Arendse spoke to Lauren Segal one of the members of the Constitutional Hill Trust about the exhibition that is currently taking place at the Constitutional Court… CONCOURT ANNIVERSARY by Darendse This interview was first aired on Voice of the Cape's Drivetime show on 14 December 2011

President Jacob Zuma honours political prisoners

Last week President Jacob Zuma honoured 134 political prisoners who were executed at the gallows at Pretoria Central Prison during Apartheid. Voice of the Cape Current Affairs Producer, Dorianne Arendse spoke to Mac Maharaj, the spokesperson for President Jacob Zuma about the event which took place on 15 December 2011... Pretoria Central Prison by Darendse This interview was first aired on the Voice of the Cape Drivetime Show on 14 December 2011

FAMSA marches in support of the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children

On Saturday 26 November 2011, Families South Africa held their annual Mini Men's March. Hundreds of children from various schools across the province gathered at Keizergracht on Saturday morning and marched to Parliament in support of the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children. The following audio was first broadcast on Voice of the Cape on Tuesday 29 November 2011. This feature was produced by Dorianne Arendse...

16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children by Darendse

Commission of Inquiry launched into Arms Deal

President Jacob Zuma this week announced that a commission of inquiry will be launched into the Arms Deal. Two years ago according to the Presidency legal proceedings were instituted in the Western Cape High Court asking the Court to direct the President to appoint an indepedent judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of wrongdoing or to require him to reconsider his refusal to do so. It later transpired that the Western Cape High Court was the wrong forum to hear the matter. An application was then brought in the Constitutional Court. The matter is set down for hearing on 17 November 2011. Below is an interview I conducted with the spokesperson for President Jacob Zuma, Mac Maharaj about the commission of inquiry into the Arms Deal. This interview was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape's Drivetime Show on 16 September 2011...

MAC MAHARAJ by Dorianne

Somalia Day 10- Final update with Shafiq Morton

This is the last interview conducted with VOC Drivetime Presenter Shafiq Morton who was traveling with the Gift of the Givers Aid Mission to Somalia. Morton returns to South Africa today. This interview was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape on 16 September 2011...

DT 16-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 10 by Dorianne

Somalia Day 9 - Update with Shafiq Morton

The following interview was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape Drivetime Show on Thursday 15 September 2011. I spoke to Voice of the Cape's Drivetime Presenter and senior journalist, Shafiq Morton who is currently traveling with the Gift of the Givers to Somalia...

DT 15-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 9 by Dorianne

Somalia Day 8 - Update with Shafiq Morton

It is Day 8 for Gift of the Givers in Somalia. They are currently in the famine struck country to help Somalis who were dying of starvation. Our Drive time presenter and senior journalist, Shafiq Morton is with the aid mission. VOC Journalist Faatimah Hendricks spoke to him today. This interview was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape Drivetime Show on Wednesday 14 September 2011....

DT 14-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON DAY 8 by Dorianne

Somalia Day 6- Update with Shafiq Morton

It is day six of the Gift of the Givers Aid Mission to Somalia. The following is an interview I conducted with Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton who is in the Horn of Africa. This interview was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape on Monday 12 September 2011

DT 12-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 4 by Dorianne

Somalia Day 7 Update with Shafiq Morton

The following is an interview I conducted with VOC Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton who is currently traveling with Gift of the Givers to Somalia, where a team of doctors is providing life saving medical treatment. This interview was first broadcast on Voice of the Cape on Tuesday 13 September 2011

DT 13-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 5 by Dorianne

Day 3: In the Horn of Africa

Dorianne Arendse

The following is an interview I conducted with Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton on Day 3 of his trip to Somalia. This interview was broadcast on the 9 September 2011 on Voice of the Cape.

DT 09-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 3 by Dorianne

Day 2 In the Horn of Africa

The following interview was conducted with VOC Drivetime Presenter on the second day of the Gift of the Givers Aid Mission to Somalia. The interview was first broadcast on the 8th September 2011 and was done via sat phone...

DT 08-09-11 SHAFIQ MORTON UPDATE 2 by Dorianne

Day 1- In the Horn of Africa

Below is an interview I conducted with VOC Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton, shortly after he arrived in Somalia, with the Gift of the Givers Aid Mission. This was first broadcast on the Voice of the Cape's Drivetime show on last Wednesday.

Interview with Shafiq Morton on his trip to Somalia, day one by Dorianne

Strike causes chaos

The National Heatlh and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) has warned people to stay away from state run hospitals and clinics as striking public servants embarked on a total shutdown of services. This comes as they rejected government’s latest wage offer of seven percent. Nehawu provincial secretary, Soroya Jawoodeen, staff at hospitals and clinics began picketing on Friday, despite all health workers being classified as ‘essential staff.’

“We have completely shutdown service delivery points. We spent most of yesterday mobilizing our members. Today, Tygerberg, Groote Schuur and GF Jooste hospitals are inaccessible to the public,” she told VOC News during an interview on Breakfast Beat.

When asked about emergency cases, she explained that shop stewards and marshals at the various picket lines will facilitate entry into the hospitals. “Chronic medication would be seen as an emergency. There is a ‘wall’ between the marshals and the police and this is not helping communication between our marshals and the public. We will keep an emergency lane open for trauma cases, ICU cases and maternity cases.”

Education

Meanwhile the Western Cape Education Department said its comprehensive three point contingency plan is in place to ensure that teaching still continues at school across the province. MEC for Education, Donald Grant, explained the plan is based on three main objectives: “to keep the learners safe and supervised, to ensure that teaching and learning continues as far as possible, and to manage the system so that it functions as effectively as possible despite the disruptions.”

“All our resources will be used to ensure that these objectives are met…to ensure that the rights of our learners are respected so that they can receive a quality basic education in these difficult times. The WCED has through its district offices, communicated with school management teams and governing body structures requirements for appropriate supervisory and safety arrangements,” he said.

Grant has urged parents and caregivers to send their children to school, until notified otherwise. “Yesterday there was isolated incidents of violence and intimidation throughout the province. These unlawful acts were effectively dealt with by Western Cape police. I wish to reiterate that we will use every available mechanism to ensure that the rights of children and teachers attending school are protected. Teachers who do not act responsibly face ‘serious consequences’ should they transgress the law.

Matric fears

Grant further explained that the Department had developed a number of curriculum support programmes, in an attempt to ensure that learning continues. “These programmes support all grades with a particular focus on our Grade 12’s who will begin writing the first practical examination of the National Senior Certificate Examinations in just 54 days time.”

“As part of the WCED’s ‘Own your future. Own your success. Study hard to pass YOUR matric’ campaign, the WCED initiated a number of tutorial programmes throughout the province during the second school term. The tutoring aims to increase the pass rate in high enrolment subjects with high failure rates and has garnered much support from the Grade 12 learners,” he said.

Grant urged Grade 12 learners to use their ‘Tips for Success’ booklet which will provide them with information on how to plan their revision programme and tips on how to study.

“We encourage our Grade 12 learners to use this booklet by ticking off what they know and how to identify areas where they feel they are weak and need improvement. Specific schools were also provided with extra past examination papers. We also ensured that all our Grade 12 learners received the necessary textbooks for major subject,” said Grant.

Thousands march for better wage

DORIANNE ARENDSE

Some twenty thousand public servants took to the streets in Cape Town on Tuesday in protest of government’s revised offer of seven percent and a housing allowance of R630. Public servants are demanding an 8.6 percent wage increase and a R1,000 housing allowance. Various unions affiliated to trade union Cosatu as well as the Public Servants Association marched to Parliament to hand over a memorandum highlighting their demands.

Provincial Chairperson for Nehawu, James Kruger, told VOC News that they are also demanding the equalization of medical aid. “Level 1-3 workers who are the lowest paid government officials are given free medical aid. But that free medical only gives you access to a state hospital and we all know that state of our current healthcare system in the country. Those members that have the so called free medical aid actually don’t have access to health care. The subsidy from level 4 onwards is only a third of the medical aid”, said Kruger.

In addition he said the R1000 housing subsidy was not their initial demand. Kruger said that even that subsidy will not be able to cover their bond repayments. “A determination on your approval for a bond is made on your annual salary the majority of public servants cannot go to the bank for a bond. But we are saying for those who can at least a R1000 subsidy will do”, said Kruger.

He said the 8.6 percent wage increase which the public servants are asking for amounts to about R80 for the lowest paid worker.

“The level 1 worker gets about R40 000 – R50 000 a year. If you take an 8 percent increase on that it is not even R80, so it does not represent much increase for the ordinary worker. That is why we have always fought for a sliding scale increase. They have to improve the salaries on the lower level. The disparity between a level 1 salary and that of a head of department’s salary is too great”, said Kruger.

Public Servants strike looms

Dorianne Arendse

The Public Servants Association is set to embark on strike action next week after wage negotiations between government and the unions deadlocked a few weeks ago. The association is asking for an 8.6 percent wage increase as well as a R1000 housing subsidy. However the employer is only offering a 6.5 percent wage increase across the board and a housing allowance of R620 a month. The Deputy General Manager for the association, Manie De Clerq said there had been no further meetings with the employer and they have now served notice to start strike action next Thursday.

"As far as the offer is concerned from the state, the offer still remains the same- a 6.5 percent wage increase and a R620 housing allowance. We have been given a mandate from our members to reject the offer and to issue a notice to strike. On Wednesday we gave notice to the Bargaining Council that we will commence with strike action on 29 July 2010. The reason for this date is that in the Public Service we are required to give 7 days notice of a strike," explained De Clerq.

De Clerq said the represent approximately 210 000 public servants from different sectors within government. "It does include almost any occupation that you have in the public sector. We must however say that the PSA is on record and we have said this many times, we have not balloted workers that have been classified as essential service like doctors and nurses. However those who have not been classified as essential services are welcome to take part in the strike.

"It is also important to note that the mere classification of essential service does not mean that the work that those who have not been classified is not important. If one takes the immigration officers at the Department of Home Affairs, their jobs has not been classified as essential but they are the ones who control the ports of entry into the country. So if they down tools nobody can leave or enter the country," he said.

When asked about media reports which had indicated that the Minister for Public Service and Administration, Richard Baloyi's office was still in negotiations with the unions, De Clerq replied that the Minister can make statements to appease union. "He can only go back to the Bargaining Council because that is where official bargaining takes place when a different or an improved offer is made. If there are however bi-lateral meetings which takes place outside of that forum we are open to taking part in them and in fact that has happened.

"Last week the meeting with the Minister was such a meeting but it was not very successful. We have done that and we are on record to say that we will take part in any discussion to prevent this strike from happening. But we can't just go back to be told by the Minister like last week that he has nothing to offer. One cannot claim that as being discussions. A discussion must take us forward in order to try and avert the strike," explained De Clerq.

According to De Clerq there has been no movement in negotiations and therefore the decision to strike was taken. "This week there has not been any meetings in the bargaining council or bi-lateral meetings that have taken place with the minister. We find it strange that this is what media reports have indicated. I am not aware of any meetings that have been schedule for Thursday or Friday," said De Clerq