The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) General Secretary, Solly Phetoe, is set to meet with the families of the 11 fishermen who drowned onboard a fishing vessel while on duty off the coast of Hout Bay in May 2024.
The nine fishermen who were also onboard the MVF Lepanto when it sank, but were fortunately rescued by a nearby vessel, will also join the meeting at the Stella Marais Seafarers Centre (opposite the Cape Cruise Terminal) at the V&A Waterfront, on Wednesday 11 September from 10am to 1pm.
When the fishing vessel belonging to the Sea Harvest Group sank, 11 fishers were lost at sea and eventually presumed drowned when the search was called off, but their bodies were never recovered.
Almost four months later, the investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to determine the cause of the accident that stole the lives of the fishermen is yet to be finalised.
The General Secretary, Western Cape Provincial Secretary Malvern De Bruyn, along with other COSATU officials will meet with the bereaved families and survivors of the tragedy to determine how the Federation can be of assistance to them. COSATU is anxious to find out if Sea Harvest has been providing any form of support, including financially, to the families as they lost their breadwinners in the accident. It is also critical to know if the company arranged counselling for the nine workers who survived the tragic accident, as it was a traumatic experience that could lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder if left untreated.
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The Federation will also offer assistance and guidance regarding claiming from the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act. Crucially, the General Secretary would like to convey the Federation's condolences to the family for the grave loss they have suffered.
COSATU previously wrote to SAMSA urging it to expedite the investigation to give the families a sense of closure. The authority wrote back, saying the investigation would take up to eight months to finalise. However, SAMSA added that considering the gravity of the accident, it recommended that the Minister of Transport constitute a Marine Court of Enquiry in terms of section 266 of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1951. COSATU unequivocally supports SAMSA's recommendation and will approach Transport Minister Barbabra Creecy to request the same.
COSATU reiterates its stance that SAMSA should release its report publicly once it is finalised, to promote transparency and compliance to safety and health regulations in the fishing industry. It is important to find out if Sea Harvest was guilty of any form of negligence or non-compliance to Occupational Health and Safety regulations. The maintenance and service history of the MVF Lepanto, as well as the living conditions of workers inside the vessel and the vessel's age, will be of particular importance to the Federation when the report is released.
The recommendations that will be outlined in SAMSA's report will be of absolute importance to ensure a disaster of such a magnitude does not recur.
