1508-141 swd railway newsletter - swazi rail · loliwe w first quarter june 2015 loliwe the...

LOLIWE w FIRS T QUART ER JUNE 2015

LOLIWETHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF SWAZILAND RAILWAY

ISO 9001:2008

ManagementSystem

www.tuv.comID 9105068450

TÜVRheinland®

First Quarter, June 2015

Swaziland Railway says:

be on the Railway line

Safe

Sara Conference INSIDE

1st Quarter Performance INSIDE


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“To lead in providing totalquality rail transport and

logistics solutions in the regionand beyond”.

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missionTo provide transportation services to the local and

international markets through:r delivering a service that is responsive to current and future customer needs,

r fostering and inuencing mutually benecial stakeholder relationships,r ensuring high standards of safety, quality, environmental and risk

management practices and;r Enhancing shareholder condence and value through

selfsustenance.

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contents

standard04 Editors Remarks

A wholesome look at the

current mood and atmosphere

and developments at SR

05 CEO’s Remarks

Briefing on current and future

outlook at SR and its plans

going forward

features17 Performance Mang. System

A glimpse look into the

Performance Management

System at SR

19 Grievance Procedure

27 New Appointments

Movement of new personnel

into SR

21

14

report07 SR 1st Quarter Perf. Report

An in depth look at our 1st

quarter performance

12 Annual Mainte. Shutdown

A comprehensive analytical

look at our shutdown for the

year

21 SARA Conference

A detailed look at the annual

conference where

presentations and exhibitions

took place

extra26 Parliamentary committee

tour

Members of the committee

paid a visit and toured the sr

rail line

29 Emakholo Knockout

Soccer at Mayaluka Stadium

,

0724

23

24

12

24

29

Trains can travel up to 100kms an hour

It is our responsibility

to operate a safe railway line and we are always at pains when such incidents happen...

my say

EDITORIAL

EDITOR: SIVE [email protected]

PRINTERS

WEBSTER [email protected]

The first quarter of the 2015/16 thfinancial year ended on the 30

June 2015 and as the financial year 2014/15 ended slower in terms of performance, we were expecting a turnaround. There are some positives, but the old negatives are still haunting u s . O v e r a l l t h e f i r s t q u a r t e r performance shows that tonnage is below budget by -8%. Transit traffic is below budget by -8%. Imports are above budget by +11% and exports are below budget by -16% and containers were above budget by +40%. This is the main reason why we go to work in the morning, to turn the couple of negatives into positives and it's the reason why the railway exist.

We have also witnessed a couple of accidents on the railway line and one of them was fatal. We pass our condolences to the family of the deceased once again as we did before. It is our responsibility to operate a safe railway line and we are always at pains when such incidents happen. We always encourage you to spread this safe operation gospel to our fellow employees and consequently to all that we interact with. I once again declare that the railway line is for the train to pass though and human beings should ONLY PASS through

when there is no oncoming train. NEVER, REST, SLEEP OR PLAY on the railway line, it is very dangerous. Our safety section has just completed a schools safety campaign initiative and there are plans for safety roadshows.

We are a determined organisation with committed employees and we will be smiling and extending a smile too. I hope we can create a buzz around the issues raised in this publication and keep the discussions going on. We always need your feedback and advice on issues raised here. This is your magazine and we are happy to see that article contributions by fellow employees are beginning to gain momentum. That is all that we are about, YOU.

We enjoy getting feedback from you as it makes us improve our offering, please continue to send us your input to [email protected].

Take it easy and be safe

Sive MananaEditor

_All things are dicult before they are easyThomas Fuller

find or contact us here;swaziland railway

swazirail.co.sz

[email protected]

C

swaziland railway buildingdzeliwe street, mbabane

(+268) 2404 2486



ceo’s remarks_

Today most trains are fueled by electricity or diesel

We ended the 2014/15 financial year on a low note due to suppressed commodities markets. Unfortunately, the trend continued into the 1st quarter of the current year, the commodities markets are still in the trough, not yet showing any signs of recovery. As a result traffic volumes this quarter were below target/budget by 8% and revenue even far below by 16%. All this resulted in very low profits standing at 89% below budget, this is a major cause for concern requiring action to stop or curb the erosion of revenue.

CompetitivenessThe route through Swaziland competes with Maputo Harbor which has many

advantages such as; being closer than Richards Bay to the source of minerals out of

Phalaborwa, and the expansion at the port (Maputo) in terms of channel depth

enabling the handling of bigger vessels. The market for the minerals is China and East

Asia, and Maputo is the nearest port to serve those markets as opposed to Richards

Bay which is further down south. Despite these seemingly uphill challenges,

Swaziland Railway will continue to offer an efficient and reliable service. Every

employee must do his/her best to ensure that we offer quality service, everyone has

to contribute to raising the standard through continuous improvement in meeting

customer requirements.

Survival StrategyGiven the situation outlined above on shrinking volumes, we had to come up with a

survival strategy in an attempt to either slow down or reverse the erosion of traffic.

One of the strategies to pursue is aggressive marketing to penetrate new markets

within Swaziland and the SADC region. We have succeeded in attracting trial shipments

of ethanol and bagged sugar. The bagged sugar which is containerized at Matsapha

Dry Port is building up steadily and we have recorded regular shipments. The ethanol has challenges arising from the requirements by the Swaziland Revenue

Authority for very expensive bonds, however, there is hope that as discussions

continue there will be common understanding on how to deal with these issues.

We continue to optimize the benefit of phenomenal growth of the ICD general cargo,

the use of airbrake trains have proven efficient and effective.

5


Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything newAlbert Einstein

)(

Cost ContainmentWhen faced with challenging times you always have to

look at your cost side of the equation, and often you

find opportunities to reduce costs through elimination

of wasteful practices and devising new effective work

methods. The success of this strategy is through the

participation of all employees. You can save on

stationary by printing on both sides of the paper, you

can print only when necessary but often we print a

document yet it is also in our laptops or office

computers. Let us use the technology to full

advantage and save on expenditure. Another example

is leaving locomotives idling for hours on end, train

drivers should shut down locomotives after running 30

minutes without any indication of the next shunting

movement, and this will save on fuel cost. Fuel

accounts for 35% of all operating expenditure under

the Operating Section.

Strategic PlanAll departments continue to implement their strategic

plan objectives and they are being encouraged to

increase the speed of implementation so that we

realize the benefits sooner rather than later. The

emphasis of the strategic plan is growth and

increasing capacity in terms of rolling stock which over

the years has been a serious constraint to growth.

Availability of the right type of rolling stock is critical to

attract new business or increase existing business

from clients.

Swazi Rail Link- connection from Lothair to SidvokodvoIn July SR and TFR closed the FEL 3 Study which had

taken two years from launch. As the work continued

there were new challenges that required more

resources and more time. At the end both Railways

were happy with the final result but fine tuning certain

areas will continue. The next step is seeking approvals

from the two Governments, meaning acceptance of

the report and receiving a new mandate for the next

phase of the project.

S.Z. Ngubane – Chief Executive Officer

ceo’s remarks cont...

6

An engineer is responsible for driving a train

sr 1st quarter performance report

Introduction

In the first quarter we have noticed that imports and the ICD (Imports and Exports) continued to do well. Exports performed below budget, the main contributing factor to the poor performance was the d i s r u p t i o n o f o p e r a t i o n s d u e t o s c h e d u l e d maintenance on the MMC line which started on the 15th June to 25th June 2015. Of great concern is the persisting diversion on our lifeline, the transit traffic to Maputo. Both rock phosphate and magnetite performed below budget. A glimmer of hope in other transit traffic has been apparent. The vermiculite ore did well and other transit traffic (i.e. Containers N/B and general ores) which was not budgeted for doing extremely well.

Exported Commodities (bulk)

Overall Exported commodities were below budget by 16% due to poor performance in Sugar. Even though railage of sugar continued on a slow pace during the shutdown, we were unable to meet our target. Sugar performed 21% below budget. On another hand it was encouraging to note bagged sugar doing extremely well, we managed to rail over 2,053 tonnes of bagged sugar, and this commodity was previously all on road. The 2015/16 first quarter exports summary is shown on figure 1 below:

Commodities Actual Tonnages (Apr'14-June '14)

Actual Tonnages (April'15-June'15)

Budgeted Tonnages (April'15-June'15)

Variance against

budget (%) Sugar 43,535 44,830 56,400 (21)%

Bagged Sugar 0 2,053 0 100%

Canned Fruits 2,325 2,536 2,492 2%

Iron Ore 204,805 0 0 0%

Total 539 594 1 487 000 (16)%

Figure 1

m Sugar performed 21% or 11,570 tons below targeted budget. Despite the poor performance against budget, it is encouraging to note that our performance in this year's quarter was higher than our performance last year on the same per iod. I t should be noted that the bad performance on sugar was only recorded in June 2015, since in May 2015 we managed to hit the target. So it is indeed it is promising that we will do well on this commodity.

m Canned Fruit performed 2% or 44 tons above budget. The budgeted tons were 2,492 and actual tonnages railed were 2,536. This was indeed a good performance.

m Bagged sugar performed extremely well, we managed to rail 2,053 tons. It should be note that there is no budget on this commodity since this is a new business.

Figure 2

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Sugar Bagged Sugar Canned Fruit

Budgeted Tonnages (April ‘15 - June ‘15) Actual Tonnages (April ‘15 - June ‘15)

EXPORTS

By: Sizwe DlaminiCommercial Manager

LOLIWE w FIRS T QUART ER JUNE 2015 7

A ship in harbor is safe - but that is not what ships are built forJohn A. Shedd

sr 1st quarter performance report cont...

Imported Commodities (bulk).

Overall our performance for Imports during the 2015/16 first quarter was 11% above budget. Petroleum products were above budget by 7%, Cement product also performed above budget by 30% and no Wheat was railed during the quarter (i.e. - ). 100%




Variance against budget (%)

Cement 14,674 19,402 14,946 30%

Wheat 2,997 0 2,070 (100)%

Fuel 15,819 16,370 15,277 7%

Total 33,490 35,772 32,298 11%

stm Fuel Imports for 2015/16 1 quarter performed 7% o r 1 , 0 9 3 t o n s a b o v e b u d g e t . T h e g o o d performance is despite being unable to rail 151 ordered fuel wagons during the quarter. Indeed there is so much room for improvement on this commodity. We need to fast track the initiatives which are earmarked to be done this year, which include purchasing of 20 fuel tank wagons, block tra in (after consultat ion with re levant stakeholders), ensuring full supply of the balance for the 50 ring-fenced wagons from TFR, and adequate monitoring of fuel wagons.

m Cement performed 30% or 4,456 tons above budget during this quarter. We managed to rail 19,402 tons against a budget 14,946 tons for the year. The good performance emanated from our ability to rail all ordered consignments.

m The overall performance for Wheat during the quarter was dismal, we were unable to rail wheat during the quarter. It should be noted that we are only railing wheat sourced from overseas, and there were some delays on the shipment, however, according to the Client, the order is expected to arrive in Durban at the end of July 2015.

Figure 3

Figure 4


IMPORTS

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

POL/TC Cement Wheat


ICD Imports and Exports

On average the ICD Exports and Imports were above budget by 40%. Export containers were above budget by 16% and Import containers were also above budget by 46%.





ICD Imports 9,271 11,908 8,133 46%

ICD Exports 2,601 2,571 2,220 16%

Total 11,872 14,479 10,353 40%

Figure 5

m Container Imports performed above budget by 46% or 3,775 tons. We were able to rail 11,908 tons against a budget of 8,133 tons. The good performance emanated from the new business (i.e. DAMCO, CONCO) and additional business from existing customer's mainly grey imports cars businessmen.

m Container Exports performed above budget by 16% or 351 tons. We railed 2,571 tons against a budget of 2,220 tons. The good performance emanated from exporting empty containers to Durban ports. These are 12M containers which are rarely used by local exporters which come with imported cars. The future looks bright, since there are other potential customers which have been engaged and negotiations are going well

Figure 6



ICD IMPORTS and EXPORTS

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

Imports Exports

Remember to cross train tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings


Energy and persistence conquer all thingsBenjamin Franklin

Transit traffic

Overall transit traffic we performed below budget by . We managed to rail 1.4 Million tons against budget of 1.5 8%Million tons. The following table shows our performance on transit in all the commodities:





ROCK PHOSPHATE 416,871 278,460 398,286 (30)%

MAGNETITE 1,042,650 931,455 957,222 (3)%

PHOSPHORIC ACID 4,300 0 0 100%

CONTAINERS (N/B) 0 10,990 0 100%

CONTAINERS (S/B) 3,395 7,420 3,570 108%

FERTILIZER 1,554 0 0 0%

GENERAL ORES 0 22,092 0 100%

FUEL 35,360 27,404 38,012 (27)%

VERMICULITE ORE 17,512 20,636 14,036 47%

Total 1,521,642 6587508 1,411,126 (8)%

Figure 7

Figure 8


Rock Phosphate

Magnetite

Phosphoric Acid

Containers (N/B)

Containers (S/B)

Fertilizer

Generals Ores

Fuel

Vermiculite Ore

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000


TRANSIT


stm Rock Phosphate overall performance for the 1 quarter was tons below budget. 30% or 119,826 The underperformance on this commodity emanates from the traffic diverted to Maputo due to short turnaround time. Maputo Port is deepened its shores from 9 meters below sea level to 14 meters. Therefore they now able to receive much bigger ships than before. In addition, their train sizes were limited to 60 wagons now the CFM line (Ressano Garcia) is handling 75 wagons thus eliminating our competitive advantage.

m Magnetite overall performance this quarter was 3 % o r 2 5 , 7 6 7 t o n s b e l o w b u d g e t . T h e underperformance on this commodity also emanates from the traffic diverted to Maputo.

m Containers South Bound performed above budget by 108% or 3,850 tons. This was indeed a good performance.

m Phosphoric Acid transit budgeted for but no traffic was witnessed during the quarter.

m Transit Fuel stood at below 27.9% or -10,608 tons budget, our actual performance stood at 27,404 tons against budget of 38,012 tons.

m Vermiculite Ore performed above budget by 47% or -6,600 tons. Above budget, demand increasing for this product. Excellent performance.

Conclusion

Overall year to date performance shows that tonnage is below budget by Transit traffic below budget -8%.by . Imports above budget by +11% and exports -8%below budget by and containers were above -16% budget by +40%.


Railroad tracks are private property and only persons authorized by the railroads can be on that property


Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitudeRalph Marston

annual maintance shutdown

Acknowledgements

The Board of Directors of Swaziland Railway, CEO, Management and staff would like to thank the shutdown team for their tenacity and dedication in making our 2015 Shutdown a great success. Our team; Homeboy Dlamini, Nelly Msibi, Sandile Dlamini, Ncobile Bulunga, Vincent Mamba, James Nkambule, Alfred Nhlabatsi, Mavela Vilane, Eric Langwenya, Vincent Madolo, Gift Mngomezulu, Sizwe Dlamini, Thandeka Kunene, Impumelelo Civils, Black Mamba Security ,

external companies and especially our Customers for their co-operation. Transnet Freight Rail Team on the MMC line, Phalaborwa Coppers, CFM Team and both Ports of Maputo and Richards Bay Team for their contribution to the Shut.

Aim of the shutdown

To improve infrastructure so as to provide a safer, more reliable and efficient service to all our customers

By: Bhekithemba DlaminiDirector Engineering

Tamping at Km 224


Figure 1 depicts the planning programme and results which is presented in the shutdown meetings for the Joint Operation Centre (JOC) team made up of the corridor representatives from the mines, operators and the ports. The success of the shutdown is fully

dependent on the logistics chain to agree on the proposed dates and synchronised approach. The mines and the ports are also afforded time to carry out scheduled maintenance on equipment to minimise failures during the course of the year.

annual maintance shutdown cont...

Background

I recall receiving a phone call from The Director Engineering 5 years ago, advising my office which was the Civil Engineer's office at that time that our organisation was going to take part in the momentous annual shutdown of the Mineral Mining and Chrome (MMC) line. We had never participated in a shutdown initiative before. As a Section we were tasked with the challenges of planning a successful implementation of the shutdown and further getting to understand the objectives and benefits it has for the organisation, supply chain and the whole corridor in its entirety. The reason I am taking you back in time to 2010, is for the benefit of the reader in understanding why we have the line closure for 10 days in a year where we are not moving any trains or making revenue for our organisation.

What is a Shutdown?

The shutdown according to how I presented it to my colleagues in our first shutdown meeting, is the maintenance philosophy which combines both time based maintenance and condition based maintenance tactic in a compressed approach manner. Before the introduction of the shutdown we were expected to roll out the maintenance plan over the 365 working days and working in-between trains with short time occupations. Our business in general has the propensity to afford more time to operations (Running trains) and less on maintenance. Engineering is not afforded adequate time to implement its annual maintenance plans. The initiative came with lots of positives for the maintenance while the expenditure growth became high within the shutdown.

Figure 1

Trains have the right of way 100% of the time over emergency vehicles, cars, the police and pedestrians.

0

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Planned Actual

Ballast Regulation

Planned Actual

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Planned Actual

Bush Clearing

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 81 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Planned

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Rerailing

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Gabions Ballast offloading

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Cleaning culverts

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Planned Actual

Planned

Tamping Skid burn repairs

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Figure 2

Figure 2 depicts the Shutdown Resources planning and financial indicators.

The shutdown is supported by a series of planned meetings and teleconferencing to ensure the readiness of all the stakeholders. Programmes are

presented by all stakeholders during the meetings which are held on monthly basis during the course of the year. What we have observed in the past 5 years is that the last month towards or leading to the shut, there is a significant increase in traffic volumes to make up for the 10 day shut.

Figure 3 showing key maintenance requirements and inputs

Swaziland Key Maintenance Requirements


Task MachineLabour

Requirement1. Turns out reconditioning

2. Tamping

3. Ballast regullation4. Skid Marks

5. Rail Grinding

6. Level Crossings7. Bush Clearing

8. Drainage Work9. Scrap Material collection

10 Sleeper Replacement

11. Ultrasonic Measurement

12. Ablution Units (10)13. Transport

14. Miscellaneous Material

Grand Total

0Tamper

0

0

Grinder

0

2 Dozer

MachineTipper Truck

0

UMC

0

Trucks

0

LocalTrack Workers Location

SupervisorResponsible

Labur Cost Analysis

MachineryCost

ProjectLeader

LocomotivesRequired

WagonsRequired Comments

12

1060

10

12

4040

2020

600

0

00

5

11

520

1

1

1

1

12

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00

Mainline

MainlineMainline

Mainline

Mainline

MainlineMainline

MainlineMainline

MainlineNetwork

Mainline

MainlineMainline

Sandile

SandileSandile

Sandile

Sandile

SandileSandile

SandileSandile

SandileSandile

Sandile

SandileSandile

R 18 000.00

R 15 000.00R 90 000.00

R 50 000.00

R 30 000.00R 60 000.00

R 49 400.00

R 30 000.00

R 30 000.00

R 90 000.00

R 0.00

R 0.00R 0.00

R 0.00

R 354 599.03

R 800 000.00

R 0.00

R 354 599.03

R 1 500 000.00

R 0.00

R 300 000.00

R 800 000.00

R 0.00

R 0.00

R 300 000.00

R 15 000.00

R 100 000.00

R 300 000.00

Homeboy

HomeboyHomeboy

Homeboy

Homeboy

HomeboyHomeboy

HomeboyHomeboy

HomeboyHomeboy

HomeboyHomeboy

Homeboy

0 0

0 00 0

0 00 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 00 0

0 0

Specified Critical Turn outs

Specified curves and slacksSpecified curves, tampered areas

Selected sites

Bridge Rails

Specified Level CrossingsSpecified areas

Specified areasSpecified areas

as per location

Entire SR Network

Provision of Ablution for the Shut

Transport for casual labours on ShutMiscellaneous material for Shut

284 48 R 427 400.00 R 4 824 198.06

R 5 251 598.06

1. Track Switch Structures

2. Cross-overs

3. Im2000 Faults (OHTE)

5. Sets Replacements

6. Rails Replacements

-

-

500

20

5

5

50

-

-

4

5

5

4

4

-

-

2000

100

25

20

200

-

-

3 Teams (45)

1 Team (15)

1 Team (15)

1 Team (15)

1 Team (15)

-

-

83

4.2

1

1

8.3

4. Turn Outs

7. Distressing

Type of WorkHours Required

per compFrequency Workload:

Total Man Hours

Daily TeamCapacity: Total

Man Hours

Line Occupation Req(Actual Days)

The planning and implementation

The shutdown planning is a complex project engineering process which is informed by the IM2000 (Track Geometry measuring Car) , Ultrasonic measuring Car (UMC), Foot patrol, Monthly Trolley and

daily patrol reports. Some critical information on the condition of the track and signals is reported daily to the train control office which is coordinated and co-operated into the bigger maintenance plan for the year.

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destinationJimmy Dean


The safety plan is developed for the MMC line detailing each stakeholder organogram, Induction training, general safety rules, environmental, Security and safety structures, emergency services and technical structures. This is the key guide document of the shutdown that details the 7 Golden Safety Actions (GSAs). Where on each and every day of the shut the GSAs are shared within the members during the safety talk before commencement of the day's proceedings.

On a daily basis, progress reports are shared through teleconferencing amongst the team members. Each team leader is expected to give an update of all planned activities, against actuals and results computed. The daily reports cover environmental, safety, security and challenges of the day.

On completion of the shut the traffic is ramped up (accelerated) to restore normal volumes, and that is the acid test of the success of a shutdown.


164 Rerailing Km 139

Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first. Trains can come from either direction. Wait until you can see clearly around the first train in both directions.


Risk associated with cutting occupation time• Reduction in occupations means less

maintenance time which wi l l result in components failures

• Failure of infrastructure due to lack of maintenance

• Maintenance will not be evenly distributed along the line and cyclic maintenance will be difficult to achieve.

• Emergency occupations will increase

In conclusion the shutdown is a collective approach to maintenance which requires undivided support from the organisation. Since its inception the Track Quality Index (TQI) has improved considerably. Nevertheless some aggressive interventions are required to improve the TQI and track classification.Below attached are pictures which were taken on different sites during our 2015 shutdown

Bush Clearing at Km 68

Level Crossing Lifting Km


If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become itWilliam Ward


The HR department at Swaziland Railway are the champions of the Performance Management System and the organisation values this system as a correct step to improving the performance of the organisation through its employees. The QUESTIONS that are frequently asked are;

1. “What is this Performance Management System (PMS)”?

2. “How does it benefit me as a Swaziland Railway employee”,

3. “What does the organisation attain from this system”?

This article seeks to address and provide clarity on any misunderstandings employees may have regarding this system.

PMS is the process through which people Managers ensure that Employees' activities and outputs are congruent with the organisation's goals. Performance Management serves various purposes; Strategic purpose, Administrative purpose and Development purpose. PMS helps align performance with the vision and strategy of the organisation, this process is designed to enable a high performance culture. In any organisation, there is the big picture and that picture is the strategic direction that the organisation has decided to take. It is fundamental to make sure that all employees are doing their part in implementing that strategy and also carrying out their well-defined functional deliverables. In order to make sure that all these are done PMS is central to those efforts hence PMS is the future. A future that we all have to enjoy. It is important to note early on that the success of any PMS initiative hinges heavily on management buy in. It is a globally recognised objective and scientific tool through which management can take decisions that are normally shrouded with subjectivity & controversy like, promotion, awarding performance incentives, succession planning, but to name a few. The system must be used consistently and effectively across the organisation, with clear guidelines from start to completion.

Swaziland Railway re-launched its Performance Management System in 2014 changing from Management by Objectives (MBO) to Balanced Score Card (BSC). The BSC is a performance management tool that enables the organisation's performance to be measured in a holistic way. It empowers people by making them aware of how their work contributes into the value creation chain of the organisation.

An all representative working committee comprising of Human Resources, Operations & Marketing, Finance and Engineering was tasked to assist with the development of the balanced scorecard. Using the BSC, SR set, track and measure achievement based on:

a) Financial Area: This sets out the financial objectives and tracks performance against them e.g. increase revenue and profitability.

b) Customer Area: Considers customers' performance requirements and satisfaction with the results i.e. the quality delivered by the organization.

c) Internal Business Processes Area: Evaluates the effectiveness of the internal business processes in delivering financial results and customer satisfaction. What business processes must the company excel in i.e. efficient train scheduling and general operation that assist trains to arrive on time in their destination to deliver goods and products at the customer expected time.

d) Growth and Development Area: Is concerned with the management development of employees, how knowledge is gained and employed to maintain competitive advantage i.e. what do your associates require to excel in their jobs (skills gap) or what must I as an individual who is part of a team do to ensure that I effectively play my role and that I assist others to perform well.

performance management system

By: Tebu MambaTrainee - HR PR actioner

Be aware trains do not follow set schedules. Any Time is Train Time!


With the advent of the Human Resource Business Partnering (HRBP) concept, the HR consultants are there to assist line managers to evaluate the performance of their subordinates. Line managers are encouraged to keep a portfolio of evidence of all that supports that the objectives as set out have been met, more importantly exceedingly.In a nutshell the benefits of PMS are as follows:

a) To provide an opportunity for discussion and performance

b) To identify problems, skills and knowledge gaps.

c) To discuss plans and successes.d) To plan for resources (equipment's, budget,

etc.)e) To agree on past performance and future

performance

f) To plan training and development.g) To discuss feedback from customers and

team members.h) To agree team and team member priorities to

support Vision, Mission and Strategy.i) To live the values.

From the discussion above, it is worth appreciating that it is a tool which not only benefits the Organisation, but also the employee's personal goals and career development.

performance management system cont...

A broken hand works, but not a broken heart.Persian Proverb


The Swaziland Railway (SR) Industrial Relations scene has been pulsating with a hype of activities this quarter. From the On-going negotiations between SR and the workers Union, finalising the recognition a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e S t a f f A s s o c i a t i o n a n d capacitating the social partners on negotiation skills and the Grievance Procedure.

In this issue, we look at the Grievance Procedure as an avenue that ensures that employees voice their grievances without the fear of discrimination or victimisation on issues between col leagues, immediate Supervisors, as well as Heads of Sections and Departments. Our focus however will be on a grievance between an employee and their superior.

A grievance between an employee and his or her superior is normally a result of Toxic Leadership. Robbins on Organisational Behaviour describes Toxic Leadership as a pattern of destructive and generally deliberate repeated demeaning or mistreatment of surboninates over a period of time. Mistreatment by your superior can make your life at work grim. Toxic leadership affects the victim's health, well-being and productivity to an alarming extent. Organisations will experience reduced productivity, commitment and creativity, increased absenteeism and turnover, and possibly bad publicity due to court cases. In worst cases traumatic stress disorders or even victim suicide. The greatest organisational loss is the loss of qualified individuals, who can exit quickly and can get alternative employment outside the organisation. Worth noting is that most studies conclude that employees do not leave their company, but they leave their boss.

Toxic leadership behaviour includes according to the author the following;

· Rude, foul and abusive language;· Repeatedly threatening of dismissal;· Lack of trust in employees;· Badmouthing employees;

· Humiliating and demanding conduct in front of others;

· Leaving offensive messages on email;· Blocking an employee's promotion;· Unexplained rages;· Unreasonable job demands and expecting one

to perform the task that is bound to fail;· Overloading of work;· Confusing and contradictory instructions or

constant changing of instructions;· Unjust criticism;· Hiding documents or equipment;· Excluding employees on a regular pattern.

If you are ticking almost an entire list, it is likely that your Superior's behaviour is something that may be addressed at the lowest possible level without making a mountain out of a mole hill on an issue which would have been resolved amicably and in private. Worth noting is that the SR Code of Conduct / Ethics also stipulates how the employee and Superior interaction should be carried out. The Grievance procedure lays down the procedure to be followed and a form is provided by the Human Resources department where it sets out in detail the dates, statement of grief, and the possible resolutions desired.

However, be careful when setting out the grief as being asked to work extra 30 minutes here and there; for an example, is not the end of the world. Likewise, your objection to being tasked with responsibilities outside your job description should not make you look lazy.

A relationship takes two. Remember, you could be contributing to the tension without being aware. Own your responsibilities as well. We tend to find problems with our boss or company rather than examining how we might also be contributing to the issues. A good starting point is to try and see things from your Managers point of view. It helps to recognise that it's human nature to externalise our problems. What you

By Jabu MncinaGraduate in Training - Employee Relations

grievance procedure- a tool used by aggrieved employees

The slowest train goes uphill at the speed of 10 kilometers per hour


see as innovation, they may see as recklessness. Your Superior may see your confidence as arrogance and lacking in respect, perhaps they are under pressure to deliver. If you stand in your superior's shoes, you might see the situation differently.

Seeing this from their perspective may equip you with understanding his or her behaviour. Then, without taking the blame or making yourself a victim Ian James of Clearsight Coaching says you need to ask yourself these questions;

· How can I change my behaviour to improve the relationship?

· Can I let go of any personal offence, and focus on the professional relationship and outcome of the company?

It helps to;· Treat your boss exactly the way you wish

them to treat you;· Respect their position;· A d m i t y o u r i m p e r f e c t i o n s a n d t a k e

responsibility for your actions;· Identify your boss's strengths;· Behave in a way that assures your boss that

you're there to make his or her life easier;· Find ways to complement your boss's skills;· Focus on the success of the company;· Familiarise yourself with their goals;· Get to understand their personality and

management style;· With genuine respect, compliment your boss

on great achievements;

If you feel this is getting you nowhere, it is therefore advisable to have a candid discussion with your superior but then focus on the issue not the person, show some modesty, avoid accusations and judgements, and objectively stick to the facts. The aim of the discussion should be to find a way of interacting that benefits the company. This may be all that is needed to resolve the issue.

The Human Resources department is another alternative in helping address grievance issues. The HR is a peacekeeper in calming the waters and smoothing over the emotional ripples. HR can intervene in response to incidents or complaints. The HR department can coach toxic leaders into improving their interpersonal relations and also victims on how to d e a l w i t h t o x i c l e a d e r s h i p a n d n o t t o f e e l disempowered. HR can provide policies and procedures in place to advice the victims on policy hence the capacity building on employer and employee representatives on this procedure.

However, if you feel that you have done all that you can to repair the relationship, it's important to safeguard your sense of self-esteem and your career prospects by using the Grievance Procedure as the next available tool.

Our next issue will be on the Disciplinary code as a tool used by the employer. With that said, till our next issue of Loliwe I leave you all to “OWN IT”

*The Grievance Procedure Code is available with the Employee Representatives and the Office of the Human Resources and Development*Acknowldegments; Francise Gallet and Lungisa Sonqishe

grievance procedure- a tool used by aggrieved employees

A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal.Yiddish Proverb



SR

ATTENDANCE & EXHIBITING AT SARA RAIL CONFERENCE

2015

¯¯

Background

Swaziland Railway (SR) recently participated in the thSARA conference on the 26 – 28 May 2015. The 29 of

May was reserved as a golf day for the participating delegates and SR was a watering hole sponsor and had a four ball made up of our customers. The conference was hosted at Emperors Palace and the game of golf was hosted by the Modderfontein Golf club.

The Aim of the Conference and Exhibition

The aim is to;1. S h a r e w i t h c u s t o m e r s a n d c r i t i c a l

stakeholders accurate information on our business while also giving them an opportunity to air their challenges on our service offerings through an informal approach and with other key decision makers of our industry and clients

2. Use this new platform as a spring board to sell our other business offerings and proposed developments while fostering a culture of openness to our customers

3. Support the marketing efforts to put our brand to potential suppliers and customers

The main aim of the Conference and exhibition is to keep SR abreast of what is happening regionally and benchmark with other railways while also soliciting new clients from all over the World.

Scope

The initiative is mainly focused on SR building profitable business relationships and visibility to its potential customers and suppliers.

Targeted Group

SR exhibiting at SARA Rail Conference is targeting its potential clients, its potential suppliers, networking with other Railways in the region, Financiers, Government Agencies etc.

Important Participants from Swaziland R a i l w a y w h o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e Conference are:

1.0 From the Ministry of Public Works & Transport

1.1 Hon. Minister of Publ ic Works & Transport

1.2 Principal Secretary- MOPWT 1.3 Principal Professional Officer 1.4 One other Officer – to be nominated by

the PS 1.5 Board Chairman

2.0 SR Exhibition Stand Officials

2.1 Mr. Gift Mngomezulu - MM 2.2 Ms Precious Hlophe - SMO 2.3 Mr. Sive Manana – CCS

The Southern African Railways Association (SARA) was formed in 1996

21

3.0 SR Committee Members

3.1 Mr. S.Z. Ngubane – CEO & SARA RAIL CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN

3.2 Mr. Bhekisisa Manyatsi – ICDM

4.0 SR Executive Delegates

4.1 Mr. V.E. Makhubu – CFO 4.2 Mr. B. Nsingwane – DHRD 4.3 Mr. T.T. Ndlovu- SRLPD 4.4 Mr. Sandla Msibi- ADCM

5.0 SR Presenters

5.1 Mr. Mavela Vilane – SHEQM 5.2 Mr. Amos Mkhatshwa – IAM 5.3 Bhekithemba Dlamini - DE5.4 Mrs. Nomvuyo Dludlu – CP

The Benefits and Opportunities of attending this conference

The opportunities follows;· Increasing our brand equity by gaining goodwill

from our customers· Possibility of engaging on first name basis with

customers

· Putting faces on suppliers, business partners and customers

· Possible new and future business after awareness of our service offerings

· Stakeholder engagement · Member visibility at SARA level· Exposure to market opportunities· Brand Mileage

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is believed that this initiative went a long way in setting up positive momentum at SR and our regional participation at SARA level ensures the company's relevance and as another regional player and enforces the trade agreements currently prevailing amongst neighbouring railways. The Conference also provides a perfect opportunity to benchmark with other railways to achieve business growth and improve efficiencies where there were bottlenecks.

Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weedsAuthor Unknown


SR

ATTENDANCE & EXHIBITING AT SARA RAIL CONFERENCE

2015

¯¯

SARA is a “Not for Profit” regional association of railways in the SADC region



The average freight train consisting of 100 cars and weighing anywhere from 12 million to 20 million pounds takes over a mile to stop in emergency braking.You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossibleDeepak Chopra

24

sara board meeting

Honourable Minister of PWT Pastor Lindiwe Dlamini

officially opening the SARA Board Meeting

new SARA President SR CEO Stephenson Z Ngubane handing

a token of appreciation to the minister

SARA Board Meeting Delegates and other Senior SARA Railways Representatives

On the 18th June 2015 SR hosted delegates of the Southern Africa Railways Association (SARA) at the Royal Swazi Spa. The meeting was attended by the members of the board which constitutes of the CEOs of the member organisations.

The SARA Board comprises of Chief Executives of member organisations and is the supreme policy making body of the organisation.


On the 5th, 11th and 25 June 2015 the members of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport Parliamentary committee toured the Swaziland Railway line, stations and facilities in a familiarisation tour. Here are some of the pictures from the tour

parliamentary committee tour

You can do it if you believe you canNapoleon Hill


new appointements

Swaziland Railway is proud to announce the appointment of Lwazi Thabede as Data Analyst

rdwith effect from the 3 August 2015.

M r . T h a b e d e ' s a p p o i n t m e n t follows rigorous selection process that identified him as the most suitable candidate for the job. The company is proud to welcome Mr. Thabede who holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), currently studying towards obtaining his MBA at MANCOSA.

M r . T h a b e d e h a s b e e n w i t h Swaziland Railway for six years. He has served as a Commercial Clerk before assuming the position of Exports Document Clerk.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Thabede is very experienced in his field and we gladly welcome him to his new position as Data Analyst.

We believe that Mr. Thabede will continue to uphold our values and mission by re-defining efficiency in the Commercial & Marketing section of the business. We believe that he will deliver at a high level and demonstrate the necessary qualities that are necessary in this position.

I urge all of you to support Mr. Thabede as he assumes this very challenging position.

LWAZI Thabede

Data Analyst

Swaziland Railway is a parastatal organization that provides transport services for import and export commodities as well as transit cargo.


new appointements

NOSMILO Mavuso

Computer Operator Payroll

Swaziland Railway is proud to announce the appointment of Mrs. Nosmilo Mavuso-Zwane as Computer Operator Payroll with effect from the 1st September 2015.

M r s . Z w a n e ' s a p p o i n t m e n t follows a rigorous selection process that identified her as the most suitable candidate for the job. The company is proud to welcome Mrs. Mavuso who holds a B a c h e l o r o f C o m m e r c e (Accounting).

M r s . Z w a n e h a s b e e n w i t h Swaziland Railway for 11 months. She has served as a Cashier at S idvokodvo Rai lway before a s s u m i n g t h e p o s i t i o n o f Computer Operator Payroll.

Undoubtedly, Mrs. Zwane is very experienced in her field and we gladly welcome her to her new position as Computer Operator Payroll.

We believe that Mrs. Zwane will continue to uphold our values and mission by re-defining efficiency in the Payroll section of the business. We believe that she will d e l i v e r a t a h i g h l e v e l a n d demonstrate the essent ia l qualities that are necessary in this position.

I urge all of you to support Mrs. Zwane as she assumes this very challenging position.

Swaziland Railway is proud to announce the appointment of Nhlanganiso Mbingo as Induna (Printroom Attendant) with effect from the 3rd August 2015.

Mr. Mbingo's appointment follows rigorous selection process that identified him as the most suitable candidate for the job. The company is proud to welcome Mr Mbingo who holds a valid driver' licence.

Mr. Mbingo joins Swaziland Railway from Ramblas Restaurant where he served as waiter for 3 years.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Mbingo is very experienced in

the hospitality industry, dealing with various types of customers and we gladly welcome him to Swaziland Railway as Induna (Printroom Attendant).

We believe that Mr. Mbingo will quickly assimilate our values and adapt to our mission by re-defining efficiency in the Human Resources Administration section of the business. We believe that he will deliver at a high level and demonstrate the necessary qualities that are necessary in this position.

I urge all of you to support Mr. Mbingo as he assumes this very challenging position.

NHLANGANISO MbingoInduna (Printroom Attendant)

What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not failRobert Schuller


emakholo knockout tournament

The annual emakholo knockout tournament took place at Mayaluka Sports Stadium and the sr team valiantly fell in the final. Loliwe was there to capture the moments as they happened.

The train station with the longest name in the world is Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta in India


emakholo knockout tournament

Try and fail, but don't fail to tryStephen Kaggwa


31LOLIWE w FIRS T QUART ER JUNE 2015

SWAZILAND RAILWAY

Piggs Peak

MBABANE

To KomatipoortMozambiqueRepublic of

South Africa

SWAZILAND RAILWAYSYSTEM MAP

(SR / M / 36)

Mpakakm 120,874

ToMaputo

Lubhukukm 140,837

Phuzumoyakm 156,173

Sidvokodvokm 439,487

Matsapha IIkm 466,08

Matsapha Ikm 466,491

Big Bendkm 194,95

Pumanekm 171,653

Nsokokm 215,71

Zibekm 235,015

Legend

RAILWAY LINE

TERRITORIAL BOUNDARY LINE

0 10 20 30 40 50

Kilometres

Lavumisakm 248,645

To Richard’s Bayand Durban

Bhunya

Nhlangano

Mhlumekm 73

Hlanekm 100,814

Siwenikm 303,019

Mlawulakm 313,034

N

SWAZILAND

PROPOSED LINE

ToLothair


Dzeliwe Street, MbabaneTel: (+268) 2404 2486 w Fax: (+268) 2404 5009

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.swazirail.co.sz

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R P

RIN

T (

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1508-141 swd railway newsletter - swazi rail · loliwe w first quarter june 2015 loliwe the...

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