Fin24 reports that telecoms company Telkom and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are locked in a bitter battle over continuing strike action.  

Hundreds of Telkom staff have launched strike action against the company over pay, but a dispute over alleged violent strike action and the sabotage of Telkom’s nationwide network, which has disrupted services for over 13,000 customers, has dogged the labour action.  Telkom, in a statement on Sunday, slammed the CWU for blockading entry and exit points at the company’s facilities, intimidating workers and damaging equipment, amongst other allegations.  But the CWU hit back, distancing itself from allegations of sabotage and violence.  On sabotage, CWU’s general secretary Aubrey Tshabalala denied that strikers were damaging equipment.  Instead, he said Telkom was to blame for network issues in that skilled staff have gone on strike and so the operator was failing to respond to technical faults timeously.  About blocking entrances and exits at Telkom facilities, Tshabalala noted that the company had failed to help formulate picketing rules for the strike.

• Read this report by Gareth van Zyl in full at Fin24
• Read too, Telkom customers affected by more 'sabotage', at ITWeb
• Read Telkom’s press statement at Telkom online

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