Municipal workers to protest in Ekurhuleni

Samwu regional secretary, Themba Ntuli, issued a statement which included their grievances.

The issues include the implementation of the court order against the City Manager Khaya Ngema, the campaign for sustainable jobs and an end to union bashing by creating an unconducive environment for shop stewards to engage and protect worker issues.

The union said some Samwu members’ employment contracts were terminated, for various reasons, and they left the service of the municipality.

The statement states that the same is expected of the City Manager.

“His contract, as indicated by the court, came to an end on May 17, 2012,” said Ntuli.

“This has since being confirmed by a high court judgment which found that the city manager’s employment contract with the municipality, is invalid,” said Ntuli.

The union also wants the contracts of a 1 000 peace corps, that were terminated, to be reinstated in keeping with its “Sustainable Jobs” campaign.

“One of the stated intentions of the Peace Corps Programme was to fill the future vacancies in the Metro Police Department and council departments,” said Ntuli.

“To the union’s surprise, metro police officer trainees position were advertised but a small number of the current and former Peace Corps were short-listed.”

The campaign also aims to highlight the plight of the Lungile Mtshali Programme employees, who have since left the service of the municipality.

“The exploitation of workers in any form will not be tolerated by Samwu, hence the fight for sustainable jobs campaign – which seeks to bring and end to the exploitation,” said Ntuli.

It is unclear where the protest will take place.

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