Mbombela municipal workers strike for full wages owed

MBOMBELA – Another cry out strike from government employees took place in Neslpruit as Empowerment Expanded Public Works Program workers went to the civic centre to complain about not being paid what they are due. Employees of the EPWP embarked on a strike on Monday 05 to Civic Centre stating not being paid their full salary in June, not having an exact amount written in their contracts stating how much they get paid monthly.

“We feel used by our own government this project was established in time to convince the youth to vote for the ruling party to keep power, and soon after the elections pass our contracts will be terminated because we would’ve served the purpose of the ANC.”

The Mbombela workers are crying foul play after discovering that some of their colleagues in different areas get different salaries to them but they do the same hours and same job, case in point being Nkomazi EPWP workers get paid R4000 even though it is a much smaller district while Mbombela EPWP workers get paid  R1500 lesser than the rest.

The workers feel cheated by Mbombela municipality because when they were hired in their respective locations or municipalities, they were told this project was initiated to help them by giving them jobs and experience they can use going forward and eradicate poverty amongst the youth of Mpumalanga but after not more than three months since the EPWP was initiated they are still complaining about their problems not being met. “We feel used by our own government this project was established in time to convince the youth to vote for the ruling party to keep power, and soon after the elections pass our contracts will be terminated because we would’ve served the purpose of the ANC.” Said Mzwandile Nkosi.

The workers say they have been working since the third of June 2013 and have worked overtime during this course, their first pay check was R1200 after signing a contract that does not stipulate what amount they would be getting paid only how much they make in a day’s work is written in that contract which is R66. “They promised to pay us money for transport but they never did, they said they will buy us safety boots but we still do not have them and they asked us to go work in Kabokweni but we declined that request because it was too far for us and because of that we are being paid less ever since.” Said some of the workers.

Mr. Sgananda Siboza and acting CFO Mr. Ngwenya were there to receive complaints brought by the workers but gave no tangible reason why the workers have not being paid as they should be nor inform them as to when they will receive the moneys owed to them, Mr. Siboza and Mr. Ngwenya refused to answer questions asked by Mpumalanga News and sent a journalist out of the Civic Centre chambers forcefully stating that they do not want to speak with the media.