Dr Hanneli Bendeman
GEORGE NEWS - "Case allocation to part time-commissioners was temporarily suspended due to the CCMA's affordability challenges as a result of the recent budget cuts."
That was CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) director, Cameron Morajane's explanation for the recent suspension of the services of more than 500 part-time commissioners countrywide.
George Herald had enquired after Dr Hanneli Bendeman, a part-time commissioner at the George office, voiced concerns that the national budget cuts could lead to long delays in solving labour disputes.
Bendeman earlier wrote that she is one of the part-time commissioners whose services had been suspended due to the financial crisis:
Axing of 500 part-time CCMA commissioners will hurt workers, says union Siyanda Ndlovu
Picture: iStock Saptu is also concerned that employers might abuse the cutbacks, knowing that disputes can only be heard much later if they dismissed employees now.
The South African Parastatals and Tertiary Institutions Union (Saptu) has questioned the decision by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) to terminate the services of more than 500 part-time commissioners.
The CCMA announced the decision in December, citing financial reasons as a major impact on its operations and as a result resorted to cutting these commissioners to “make up for the R617 billion budget cut over the next three years”.