A group of EPWP workers went on strike outside the Amajuba district Transport Department offices on October 10.
Blockading the entrances, the group called for transparency in the shortlisting process for the Road Aid Worker posts advertised in December 2022 and July 2023.
EPWP worker Mzwandile said the group were dissatisfied about the short notification to appear for an interview even though this is in contravention of the recruitment policy that says shortlisted applicants must be granted notice at least five working days prior to the interview or assessment date.
In the letter to the department, the Newcastle EPWP workers also vented their dissatisfaction that the interviewing panel was not familiar with the duties attached to the post, as neither the road technician, superintendent or area office manager were a part of the process.
The group also claimed that the KZN MEC for Transport, Sipho Hlomuka, informed the group on June 29 that the EPWP workers would be given first priority and that he would ensure that their EPWP contract was renewed for five years, which did not happen.
“We are now requesting that the MEC intervene and provide us with the information we require. We want to see the assessments so that we can verify where we went wrong, or else the entire process must be redone correctly,” stated Mzwandile
“We have asked the HOD if there have been appointments in the posts because there are rumours that they have appointed previous ward councillors ward committees and current PEC members in the Ladysmith branch.”
“The HOD denied that they had been any appointments but the following week we found out that they had been people appointed in a way we didn’t understand. How can they make appointments in such a situation?” he questioned.
The Department of Transport was contacted for a response but none had been received.
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