Discovery Group employees protest in Sandton after being fired

In the light of Standard Bank dropping its mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy recently, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) picketed outside the Sandton, Johannesburg, offices of the Discovery Group, yesterday, Saturday.

The ACDP said the picket was a demonstration of its solidarity with the employees that Discovery dismissed for their refusal to vaccinate against the Covid-19 virus and called for Discovery to reinstate them.

ACDP president Reverend Kenneth Meshoe said it was unconstitutional for the Discovery Group to force employees to vaccinate. The party believes that the vaccine should only be taken by those who want to vaccinate and condemns mandatory vaccination policies.

“We are very disappointed that Discovery has lagged behind companies that have come to realise that nobody should be forced to vaccinate because scientists have even accepted that the vaccine does not prevent Covid infections. Therefore, there is no scientific reason except manipulation and bullying to force everyone to take the vaccine,” said Meshoe.

Meshoe said that Discovery must reinstate all dismissed employees because they have a constitutional right not to be vaccinated and that they chose to picket at the Discovery offices because the dismissed employees approached the party for assistance.

“Any employee from whichever company can come to us if they need the ACDP to help them, we will do so,” Meshoe said.

While the ACDP alleges that Discovery dismissed some of the company’s now erstwhile employees for refusing to vaccinate, the company refuted the claims. Discovery said it did not fire any employees for refusing to vaccinate, and 98% of its workers have been vaccinated.

The diversified company said it would continue to monitor the environment and clinical risk closely to review the risk before deciding whether it will scrap its mandatory vaccination policy.

“Discovery’s vaccination policy is premised on the principle of mutual respect and places a premium on public health imperatives, the Constitutional rights of employees, and the efficient operation of the business,” said Dr Ronald Whelan, Head of Discovery’s Covid-19 Task Team and Chief Commercial Officer at Discovery Health..

Standard Bank has also found itself in hot water for dismissing at least 40 employees for refusing to vaccinate. However, the bank withdrew its mandatory vaccination policy, this week.

The bank said it scrapped the policy after Health Minister Joe Phaahla lifted all Covid-19 restrictions last month. The bank released a statement, Friday, saying it might re-employ the 40 dismissed employees.

This decision came after the South African Society of Bank Officials (Sasbo), threatened to litigate the bank on the matter.

“Following the withdrawal of the policy, we are engaging with these colleagues to explore re-employment opportunities, as we feel strongly that this is the right thing to do,” said Standard Bank SA, CEO Lungisa Fuzile, in a statement.

However, Sabso said it would not be quick to celebrate the bank’s decision to rehire the employees because there is a difference between rehiring and reinstating workers.

Sasbo general secretary, Joe Kokela, said: “We still have to engage with the bank to understand what reappointment means. We want to understand what benefits these people will forfeit, gain or if the status quo remains. We want to understand if workers would have to start from scratch and how the reappointment affects their retirement package, leave days, and other benefits. We have members who have been working at the bank for decades.”

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) said it had received at least 291 cases of workers dismissed for refusing to vaccinate from November the preceding year to date. The majority of these cases were in the Western Cape.

CCMA director, Cameron Morajane, said: “From the 291 cases, nine of the awards were in favour of the employer, whilst another nine were in favour of the employee. The remainder of the matters are either still in process, have been abandoned by the referring party, or have been settled by the parties.”

Morajane said each case is arbitrated on its own merits, and no two cases are identical, hence, the varied outcomes in similar cases. Moreover, Morojane said that the CCMA does not record referrals from the banking sector as they fall within the business sector and are recorded as one consolidated cluster.

“The decision the Commissioner takes is based on the arguments, evidence, and merits of each case set before them. Each Commissioner that issues an award does not bind another Commissioner.”

-IOL

In other news – Sbahle Mpisane shuts claims she is after Itumeleng Khune who is now married

Mzansi fitness bunny, Sbahle Mpisane has clapped back at social media commentary that she is trying to “clout chase” on her now-married ex-boyfriend Itumeleng Khune.

This, after the fitness guru and daughter of Shauwn “MaMkhize”, admitted that she lied to the media about not knowing him after developing amnesia following her 2018 car crash. In an Instagram Live video last week, Learn More