About 250 workers at the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) downed tools on Wednesday, the National Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) said.
Nehawu spokesperson Kwame Mzileni said negotiations between workers and the employer reached a final deadlock last Wednesday.
The workers - all Nehawu members - are demanding their bonuses which were due in December last year.
"We also do not understand why there is such a huge wage gap between top management and the lowest paid staff. We want that gap reduced," said Mzileni.
He said the current wage gap between NHBRC chief executive Phetola Makgathe and the lowest paid staff was R1,6-million.
"Executive management personnel received wage increases ranging from 33 to 50 percent in 2006.
"They further got an incentive bonus of about five to seven percent without any performance measurement tool in place, while the rest of the staff did not get anything."
Mzileni said it took the employer almost nine months to agree to give workers a seven percent wage increase, although "they didn't think twice before offering increases of 33 percent to some (management personnel) and 50 percent to the CEO".
He said it was "unreasonable" of the employer to be discussing last year's bonuses now.
"It has taken them more than seven months to decide on the issue and that is unreasonable."
The negotiations began in August last year and the last meeting between the two parties was last Wednesday.
The strike action started with pickets outside the NHBRC head offices in Bryanston at noon.
Mzileni said workers were also picketing at the council's regional offices in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit, Polokwane and Kimberley.
About 250 of the 350 workers at the council took part in the strike and were Nehawu members, said Mzileni.
Management chief negotiator Peter Latta said he was not immediately able to comment, as management was still in a meeting discussing the strike late on Wednesday afternoon. - Sapa
Thursday, 31 May 2007
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Young people to discuss speeding-up housing delivery.
More than 100 young people countrywide will meet on Thursday with major stakeholders in the housing industry, to discuss how the youth can participate in fast tracking housing delivery.
The Youth Housing Indaba in Bela-Bela, Limpopo is to end on Friday.
"The indaba is expected to develop consensus on youth participation in Housing with key stakeholders in the Housing and Youth Development Sector," said spokesperson for the national Department of Housing, Monwabisi Maclean.
It will outline institutional positions, review projects and policies on youth development across the housing and human settlement sectors...
...This initiative saw the establishment of the partnership between the department, the National Youth Commission, Umsobomvu Youth Fund, National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and Provincial Housing Departments. (Read More...)
BuaNews
Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
By Bongani Mlangeni
The Youth Housing Indaba in Bela-Bela, Limpopo is to end on Friday.
"The indaba is expected to develop consensus on youth participation in Housing with key stakeholders in the Housing and Youth Development Sector," said spokesperson for the national Department of Housing, Monwabisi Maclean.
It will outline institutional positions, review projects and policies on youth development across the housing and human settlement sectors...
...This initiative saw the establishment of the partnership between the department, the National Youth Commission, Umsobomvu Youth Fund, National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and Provincial Housing Departments. (Read More...)
BuaNews
Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
By Bongani Mlangeni
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Rural People to Help Fast Track Housing Delivery
A partnership to fast track rural housing delivery by including rural people and traditional building methods was signed on Friday by delegates attending the Eastern Cape Housing Indaba in East London.
The contract urges for the support of traditional ways of building and ensures that rural people are part of the implementation of the housing programme in order to transfer skills and also create jobs.
"It is important that as we implement government's housing programmes the beneficiaries are part of the building process, by being involved in the building process we restore their dignity and they will look after the house, they will also acquire skills and get employment" said Chief Phathekile Holomisa, a representative of the House of Traditional leaders.
Delegates at the conference resolved to form a social contract for integrated human settlements in rural housing which calls on all stakeholders to work together to fast track housing delivery.
The indaba, hosted by the National Department of Housing and the Provincial Government of the Eastern Cape was attended by government officials, academics, traditional leaders, members of both houses of parliament, business community and different stakeholders in the housing sector.
Opening the indaba last week, Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela said the integrated human settlement plan of government will restore the dignity of communities and give many South African's an opportunity to heal.
"The Comprehensive Human Settlement Plan, known as Breaking New Ground (BNG) require that we build rural homes with gardens, space for children to play and also build them with both social and economic amenities," she said.
This, Premier Balindlela explained, would give many of 'our people' an opportunity to enjoy parks and to have access to basic social and economic amenities that are not there in rural areas.
Delegates at the indaba further committed themselves to work towards eradicating of informal settlements by 2014, working with traditional leaders to build sustainable integrated human settlements in rural areas with access to basic services.
They also agreed to engage in a detailed proposal to have full cover insurance for government subsidised houses and called on the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) to ensure that traditional rural housing methods are researched and enhanced.
Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs, Thoko Xhasa said government should ensure that the use of a house as an asset in rural areas does not expose families to financial risks that can lead to evictions and other problems.
"We must find a balance to build sustainable rural communities with access to both social and economic amenities using financial models that will never expose rural people to unnecessary debts," she said.
The indaba also resolved that housing delivery will be supported by job opportunities and building of social infrastructure.
"If we build rural houses with all amenities in line with BNG, those who want to remain in rural areas will remain in rural areas as they will have access to all the things people in the city have" National Housing Director General, Itumeleng Kotsoane said.
Bongani Mlangeni
East London
BuaNews (Tshwane)
The contract urges for the support of traditional ways of building and ensures that rural people are part of the implementation of the housing programme in order to transfer skills and also create jobs.
"It is important that as we implement government's housing programmes the beneficiaries are part of the building process, by being involved in the building process we restore their dignity and they will look after the house, they will also acquire skills and get employment" said Chief Phathekile Holomisa, a representative of the House of Traditional leaders.
Delegates at the conference resolved to form a social contract for integrated human settlements in rural housing which calls on all stakeholders to work together to fast track housing delivery.
The indaba, hosted by the National Department of Housing and the Provincial Government of the Eastern Cape was attended by government officials, academics, traditional leaders, members of both houses of parliament, business community and different stakeholders in the housing sector.
Opening the indaba last week, Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela said the integrated human settlement plan of government will restore the dignity of communities and give many South African's an opportunity to heal.
"The Comprehensive Human Settlement Plan, known as Breaking New Ground (BNG) require that we build rural homes with gardens, space for children to play and also build them with both social and economic amenities," she said.
This, Premier Balindlela explained, would give many of 'our people' an opportunity to enjoy parks and to have access to basic social and economic amenities that are not there in rural areas.
Delegates at the indaba further committed themselves to work towards eradicating of informal settlements by 2014, working with traditional leaders to build sustainable integrated human settlements in rural areas with access to basic services.
They also agreed to engage in a detailed proposal to have full cover insurance for government subsidised houses and called on the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) to ensure that traditional rural housing methods are researched and enhanced.
Local Government, Housing and Traditional Affairs, Thoko Xhasa said government should ensure that the use of a house as an asset in rural areas does not expose families to financial risks that can lead to evictions and other problems.
"We must find a balance to build sustainable rural communities with access to both social and economic amenities using financial models that will never expose rural people to unnecessary debts," she said.
The indaba also resolved that housing delivery will be supported by job opportunities and building of social infrastructure.
"If we build rural houses with all amenities in line with BNG, those who want to remain in rural areas will remain in rural areas as they will have access to all the things people in the city have" National Housing Director General, Itumeleng Kotsoane said.
Bongani Mlangeni
East London
BuaNews (Tshwane)
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