DA responds to protest action by the department of waste management services
Has the Lungile Mtshali Project failed the people?
The DA members in the metro have shared their dissatisfaction with the treatment of the staff of the Lungile Mtshali Project (Department of Waste Management Services), who were kept in limbo over work contracts and empty promises.
“In typical fashion, not only did confusion reign regarding whether they would be rehired, or even could be rehired, but the training which should have been provided when the workers were first employed only became an eventuality in the last few weeks of their contracts, and only after protests were held at the Germiston Civic Centre,” said DA councillor Heather Hart, shadow MMC for city planning and economic development.
During recent protests, Lungile staff demanded that Ekurhuleni mayor Clr Mondli Gungubele address them and explain why they have not received the permanent positions promised to them.
According to a worker who spoke to a GCN journalist, the demonstrating members were promised permanent jobs in March, last year, as well as an increase in their monthly salaries of R1 800, but are still waiting.
The DA had been opposed to the Lungile Project since May, 2013.
“The DA said it would never work, because not enough thought and planning had gone into it,” Hart said.
On July 9, a memorandum was handed over to ANC councillor Emily Chauke, who spoke to the protestors outside the civic centre.
The GCN has contacted the metro in connection with the memorandum, but is yet to receive official comment.
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Workers hand memorandum over to council
