Uproar after Msunduzi staff found sleeping on top of graves at Mountain Rise cemetery

Msunduzi Municipality has condemned pictures circulating on social media of their employees sleeping and others sitting on top of graves at Mountain Rise cemetery.

City manager, Lulamile Mapholona has ordered that an investigation be conducted as soon as possible.

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A statement released by the municipality on Monday afternoon said they do not condone such behaviour and can confirm that processes were in place for the implicated employees to be charged for misconduct and for putting the municipality into disrepute.

People hold graveyards and tombstones in very high regard as spiritual places where they honour loved ones’ memories.
The picture shared online shows four municipal workers at the cemetery. Two of them are sleeping on separate graves while the others are seated where one of them is sleeping.

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It is unclear when the picture was taken.

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Chairperson of the Msunduzi Association of Residents, Ratepayers and Civic, Anthony Waldhausen said they were deeply dismayed at the gross disrespect by the Msunduzi municipal staff.

These actions are common where you see municipal staff that are cutting verges, clearing islands, cleaning road gutters, etc. They spend most of their time taking long breaks, sleeping on the job, on their cell phones, which results in long times spent on the job. Also when they have their lunch they litter and are responsible for the littering that they supposed to clean up.
He added the residents were not getting value for money from the services provided by the municipality.
He said they’ve noticed that the municipal staff do not have any work ethic and also poor quality of service as well.

There is no supervision of municipal staff and they can do as they please without any consequences. Why must residents pay for poor service delivery? The municipality needs to employ residents from the wards to do the job as we know the job will be professionally done.