Court to hear student's case against Mittal

The Supreme Court of Appeal will on Monday, May 22, hear argument on whether Mittal Steel South Africa (formerly Iscor) is obliged to make official documents available to a Wits postgraduate student.

Shadrack Hlatshwayo, the student in question, wants the information for a labour relations research project with the topic: "What was the nature of the factory regime at Iscor in the period 1956 to 1973, and what was the response of workers to this regime?" According to his legal aid today, he needs the information for a doctorate he plans on starting next year. He has been trying to get the information since June 28, 2002.

Amongst the documents he seeks are the reports and minutes of meetings of Iscor Vanderbijlpark Works Management for the period 1956 - 1973, dealing with labour relations. Hlatshwayo also wants reports and minutes of meetings of compound or hostel managers for this period.

The Pretoria High Court earlier ruled that the information should be made available in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. Mittal Steel is appealing the decision. The project was originally part of a Master in Arts degree in Industrial Sociology at Wits which Hlatshwayo has already finished. - Sapa