Municipal workers contracts get extended for five years

Workers from the Infrastructure department of the municipality say that they have been working on a contract basis since 2018 without the hope of being given permanent jobs.

According to a worker, who asked to remain anonymous, in July 2021, the municipality held interviews with the promise of providing workers with permanent positions but to date none of the workers that were interviewed for various posts were given jobs.

“They interview people to follow protocol, knowing very well that they have already made plans to appoint someone else,” the worker said.
She further added that she is unable to plan a future for her and her family due to her employment status.

“We are constantly working in fear because we could be laid off at anytime, imagine the anguish we experience having to work for five years without the potential of getting permanent jobs,” she said.
“We can’t even establish a pension fund,” she lamented.

Workers are urging the municipality to take note of their demands and to at least meet them halfway. Jeanette Tshite, municipal spokesperson, confirmed that interviews of the said positions were conducted in October 2021. “It is the prerogative of Council/Accounting officers to decide on all appointments within the municipality, hence there is a clause in all the adverts that indicates that the council reserves the right not to make any appointment in any of the advertised posts,” she said.