Danie du Plessis writes in reaction to Msukaligwa Local Municipality’s (MLM) reply to his letter published in Highvelder Newspaper on June 28, ‘Municipality denies claims of racially exclusive cadre deployment’ and online, ‘Opinion: Racial exclusion in Ermelo? Municipality denies allegations’:
Diverse staff claims questioned
The feedback from the municipality on the issue of the cadre development policy raises a series of other questions.
According to the municipality’s feedback, there are 618 employees on their books. A total of 43 employees are other races.
This constitutes about 7% of all the staff. The MLM denies cadre deployment and prides itself on its diverse staff component, but then in the same breath supplies its staff component, proving that it is not as inclusive as it would like the public to believe.
Concerns over recruitment practices
On the question of people applying for advertised posts, has it ever been brought to your attention that skilled prospective workers have stopped applying because the municipality seems to have decided in advance who will be appointed?
The vacancies advertised are just to show that the municipality complies with the Employment Equity Act.
This, I believe, is the view of these applicants.
Why are there only three people out of 34 from other races employed in the top and senior level strategic decision-making posts? The same question applies to the financial department, town planning and tender management positions.
Scrutiny of employment equity and BEE
The municipality makes lengthy points on not having a cadre deployment policy, adhering to BEE, conforming to the Employment Equity Act and developing the skills of employees.
The honourable minister of home affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, DA, has, according to media reports, shown that the cadre deployment policy and BEE cannot be separated and were from the onset intertwined.
His findings were based on the content of the files received from the ANC regarding cadre deployment. For the municipality to fall back on the BEE Act and regulations does in a way confirm suspicions.
BEE was from the start geared to advance the interests of the black elite and did not benefit ordinary black South Africans.
The ANC elite in the municipality, the councillors, would have conformed with party instructions regarding BEE.
The contents of the files received by the DA alluded to this in many instances.
Your reference to Ward 6 and 7 not attending meetings within the municipality is viewed with concern.
You highlight this because one ward is represented by a DA representative. In my opinion, this is an indication that you are very subjective. Are all your other meetings well attended?
Msukaligwa’s response (Mandla Zwane, spokesperson):
Municipality defends recruitment policy
I refuse to be drawn into politics. The fact of the matter is that there is no cadre deployment policy in the municipality.
The municipality uses a recruitment and selection policy, which is available on the municipal website.
The policy was approved by the council, and the council comprises representatives from various political parties, including his party.
Any aggrieved applicant has the right to raise his or her grievance through legally created processes and platforms through, for instance, the Public Protector, the Human Rights Commission, the Public Service Commission, etc.
Commitment to Employment Equity Act
In terms of the Employment Equity Act (EEA), no person may unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against an employee in any employment policy or practice on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, HIV status, conscience, belief, political opinion, culture, language or birth.
The EEA is not limited to race, but encompasses a host of issues.
The municipality submits its employment equity plan with five-year numerical targets to the Department of Employment and Labour. The municipality submits an annual progress report to the department.
I still stand by my previous writing, in the two wards, the meeting could not materialise due to poor attendance. The ward councillors and ward committees of those wards can attest to that.
