Durban — uShaka Marine World has reopened a month after it announced its closure last month due to a strike.
On February 12, uShaka Marine World, on its Facebook page, announced that due to industrial action, it was closed from that day until further notice.
The workers went on strike after wage negotiations deadlocked at uShaka Marine World. The workers, alongside their representatives from the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu), took to the streets of Durban, marching from uShaka Marine World to the Durban City Hall to submit a petition listing all their grievances.
When the strike began, Samwu regional secretary Xolani Dube said workers had suffered enough with low salaries, not being supplied with uniforms since 2017 and selective payment of 81 employees during salary-scaled realignment.
He demanded the full implementation of Deloitte’s salary report, which was partially implemented in 2016, from which only senior management benefited.
They further called on the employer to meet the following demands:
- full implementation of the Job Evaluation and Benchmarking Report of 2016 and utilisation of notches
- to have a grading system at uShaka Marine World aligned to the parent mother, eThekwini Municipality Task Grade
- eThekwini Municipality to absorb the salaries of the entity’s employees
- skills audit of all the uShaka Marine World management
- scrapping the hourly pay system
- resignation of senior management
On Friday, March 15, uShaka Marine World announced the end of the industrial action by its employees.
In a statement, uShaka Marine World said it welcomed the settlement of the wage dispute between uShaka Marine World and the Samwu, the union representing the bargaining unit employees.
The strike was suspended officially as of Friday.
“As a result of the end of strike by the union, the employees are back at work preparing the park for the reopening to guests from Saturday, March 16. To accommodate the preparations, the reopening of the various offerings will have a staggered approach as follows:
- Village Walk Mall – open on Saturday, March 16
- Dangerous Creatures – open on Saturday, March 16
- Sea Animal Encounter Island – open on Saturday, March 16
- Sea World – open on Saturday, March 16
- Cargo Hold Restaurant – open on Monday, March 18
- Wahooz Restaurant – open on Monday, March 18
- Kids World – open on Wednesday, March 20
- Wet ’n Wild – open on Wednesday, March 20.
“We wish to apologise for any inconvenience the closure of the park may have caused, and we thank all stakeholders for the patience and support shown to the organisation during this period,” uShaka Marine World said.
Commenting on the end of the strike, Dube said: “The strike is over, a settlement agreement was signed on Friday.”
He said some employees started work on Saturday, while others will start on Monday.
This is how Facebook users reacted to the ending of the strike:
Cally van Blerk said: “Fantastic news! The animals are obviously the first concern and secondly, the tourism uShaka brings to KZN. We hope that this was a peaceful resolution and it will open with new energy and drive to keep this iconic place alive.”
Shanell Fynn said: “Hopefully, there are some reopening specials for the Wet and Wild.”
Derisha Gunpath said: “Thank God, I was so heartbroken, now we can have a blast…”
Sneshy Dubelihle said: “Hopefully, you will now understand that workers have a right to decent wages and benefits. We are glad you are reopening.”
Harold Potter said: “Never do this again, take care of your staff and the animals.”
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News