Trade union Uasa has reacted strongly to two reported suicides by Denel workers earlier this week. The union described the news as “distressing and heart-wrenching”. It accused the State-owned defence industrial group of “simply looking on” while its unpaid or underpaid employees struggled to pay their bills. “Denel is in breach of its contract with its workers.”

“Uasa has at several occasions emphatically underscored the plight not only of its members at the weapons manufacturer but of all employees who have gone without salaries since July 2020 or were paid a meagre percentage of what was owed them,” said Uasa spokesperson Abigail Moyo in a media statement on Thursday. “That the dire situation is still not getting the attention it deserves from either government or the company’s board of directors is disheartening, particularly against the background of the directors being paid in full while neglecting to pay their employees.”

On top of the great stress imposed on the workers and their families caused by the company’s failure to pay them had come the additional stress of the Covid-19 pandemic. These stresses had now been further exacerbated by the reopening of schools this week, with many Denel employees unable to meet the back-to-school needs of their children. The result was emotional and mental distress, which had in turn led two of the group’s workers “seeing no other option” but suicide. 

Moyo pointed out that there had been a broad-based forum entitled “Unblocking Session on Priority Sectors” that had taken place this week. Uasa had attended, as had the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the Federation of Unions of South Africa, the National Council of Trade Unions, Business Unity South Africa, the Department of Public Enterprises, National Treasury, and various interest and research groups. Denel had also taken part.

Uasa raised the issue of Denel at the forum. “Regrettably, Denel presented no ‘master plan’ to rectify the situation and its directors made it clear there was no game plan,” she highlighted.

She also reported that the company had started using short-time working procedures with some of its staff. This was to minimise the group’s expenses. These workers had been briefed on a turnaround plan, “in an attempt to revert to normal working conditions”. However, not all Denel’s units have been able to commit themselves to credible turnaround plans. Uasa blamed this situation on “the shameful laissez faire attitude” of the company’s directors.