Workers march for permanent jobs

Waste-removal workers who have been on contracts for nearly 10 years are demanding permanent employment from the City of Tshwane.

About 200 workers, who work for contracted service providers of the city, marched to Tshwane House yesterday demanding that Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga take them on as permanent employees.

Tshwane Waste Workers are seen protesting outside Tshwane House demanding permenant employment from the City, 6 February 2018, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles

They claim they have been receiving R3 000 salary for the past decade.

They said they handed a memorandum to Msimanga last year, but he has not responded to their demands. “Our jobs are with waste-removal companies that have contracts.

But sometimes they tell us the work is finished and when the city appoints new contractors, we have to beg them for work. “What hurts the most is that last year the city gave new contracts to companies that are not from Tshwane,” said the leader of the workers, Abbey Mahape.

Recently their wages were increased to just over R3 000, but they still have no benefits, he said.

“One of our fellow workers passed away last year and she has a small son who was left with nothing. Had she had permanent employment with the city, she would have had benefits, such as funeral policies and life cover, to assist her family.”

But member of the mayoral committee for agriculture and environment Mike Mkhari said yesterday: “This new tender with service providers was approved in March 2017. “When a service provider wins a tender they use their own resources, including vehicles and employees.

Tshwane Waste Workers are seen protesting outside Tshwane House demanding permenant employment from the City, 6 February 2018, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles

“It becomes impossible, as the municipality, to absorb people from the private sector especially since they are still employed and the tender is still valid for the next three years. We can’t cancel the tender now to absorb them.

“There are more than 1 000 employees who do waste collection and unfortunately we don’t have positions to accommodate them within our structure. When we integrate our structure within the city, there will be vacancies,” he said.

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