Municipal workers continue to picket after LLM mayor fails to respond to memorandum of grievances
Municipal workers on November 15 once again resorted to picketing, after the executive mayor of Lesedi Local Municipality (LLM) Lerato Maloka has failed to respond to their demands as set out in a memorandum of grievances, which was handed to her on October 29.
In the four page memorandum, SAMWU requested (on behalf of aggrieved municipal workers) that their list of grievances be met by councillor Maloka within seven days, but to date they received no response whatsoever.
“We are not running a Pakistani shop here. We are saying that we are sick and tired of being ignored by the mayor. If our demands are not met, we are going to run Lesedi governmental,” one of the protestors told HERAUT during the picketing.
HOD of Corporate Services and acting municipal manager Adv Gugu Thimane addressed the crowd of protestors outside LLM’s Customer Care Centre on November 15, saying that a draft response had been awaiting the mayor’s final approval and signature, but that it was sent to the union representatives within the required time period for further discussions and possible negotiations.
“SAMWU representatives however, allege that they never received the response so we had to print another two copies, which were then handed over to them during the second picketing,” Adv Thimane said.
In her response, Cllr Maloka admitted that the municipality has an ageing fleet of vehicles.
“The condition of the vehicles have deteriorated largely due to misuse by staff. Due to budgetary constraints, only five vehicles were procured in the current financial year. Four were allocated to the technical services department and one for the library. They will be made available to the respective departments as soon as the administrative matters relating to the acquisitions have been settled,” she said.
Regarding personal protective clothing, the mayor responded by saying the municipality does make tools of trade or protective clothing available to staff members in accordance with their needs, but as per the inherent requirements of their jobs.
Other reactions in the mayor’s response include among others, the following:
- matters relating to the appointment or dismissal of the municipal manager are said to be regulated by the Act and Regulations. “Management cannot entertain this matter as it does not fall within the powers and scope of administration. The mayor and council are by law empowered to deal with this matter and management cannot respond or intervene in the matter”
- the dispute between Paul Mpele and council is said to be at arbitration and according to LLM, the post cannot be filled as the matter is sub judice pending the outcome of the arbitration process
- the allegation against MMC Moremi in the supply chain bid committee: “MMC Moremi is a councillor of LLM and management cannot by law, entertain a complaint against a councillor because they have no powers to do so. Should SAMWU wish to pursue this allegation, the appropriate structures of council must be approached”
- money generated from the trust at Heidelberg Mall: “The allocation of money emanating from the trust at Heidelberg Mall is regulated by the founding documents of the trust, being the trust deed. This process is being handled by an independent law and management is not privy to that information and as such cannot respond on this matter.”
The mayor’s full written response is available on HERAUT’s website at www.heidelbergnigelheraut.co.za
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