Samwu and municipality at loggerheads
"Municipality must not be hiring new staff members when they are in debt."
The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) in Randfontein has slapped Local Municipality acting Municipal Manager Larry Steyn with another memorandum of demands stating that all interviews and appointment of new staff members should be brought to a halt.
According to a statement received, this comes after news that the municipality is cash strapped and is in a bid to prevent those in powerful positions to stop engaging in “wasteful expenditure”.
The statement is said to also be in effort of preventing the municipality from hiring new staff members for advertised posts where the services of three body guards and an asset management administrator are being sought. Other advertised posts include the services of a water services administrator among other staff members.
According to the Union’s representative Rodgers Mkotolane, the union will safeguard the Randfontein Local Municipality from wasteful expenditure and will do so without fear or favor.
“The municipality’s first priority should be to service its debt and not waste money where it can cut costs. Owing to this, we will make sure that the unnecessary and fruitless expenditure shall be avoided and Samwu as the first hand stakeholder will ensure that this is done,” says Mkotolana.
He continued saying that the Union hopes those responsible will adhere to their demands and will act accordingly.
The Herald has since contacted mayoral spokesperson Lucky Chiya for comment and promised to revert back with comment in due coarse.
What is so sad, is that a once thriving municipality has been brought to it’s knees. Randfontein was always in the media for the right reasons!