EFF marches against outsourcing of security guards, cleaners
'It is quite obvious that the ruling party continues to fail the working class through corruption and looting of municipal funds that are meant to serve the people of Gauteng, particularly on the West Rand' – EFF.
A small crowd of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members braved the weather on Friday, November 4 by staging a peaceful protest outside the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) offices in the Randfontein CBD.
This was an effort to air their frustrations regarding the outsourcing of security guards and cleaners.
“We are calling for the overall outsourcing of public services to be prohibited,” said EFF Deputy Provincial Chairperson and Head of Labour Desk in Gauteng Phillip Makwala.
He added their demands emanate from the usage of tenders to procure some of the personnel working at the municipality.
“Municipalities and other government institutions have turned a blind eye to the plight of thousands of security guards, cleaners and community healthcare workers who work under poor conditions and are exploited by politically connected private companies.
“Workers are exploited, ill-treated, underpaid and have no employment benefits and are also subjected to unfair labour practices by service providers. It is quite obvious that the ruling party continues to fail the working class through corruption and looting of municipal funds that are meant to serve the people of Gauteng, particularly on the West Rand,” said Makwala.
He added that in essence, they want the municipality to directly absorb workers on a permanent basis as opposed to outsourcing them through private companies.
Meanwhile, WRDM Executive Mayor Hullet Hild accepted a memorandum of demands presented to him and committed himself to responding in seven days.
He also addressed allegations that workers contracted to security companies were being threatened by their employers and instructed not to take part in the peaceful strike.
“Thank you for the memorandum. I will respond in due course as requested. You’ve made serious allegations that security guards were being threatened and I would like to urge those individuals that were threatened to do the right thing and come forward.
“They must go to the necessary authorities and open up a case. We can’t let people be intimidated. They can come to me and I can accompany them to the police station where they can open the necessary criminal case. We cannot allow people to be intimidated when they want to voice their opinions and struggles in a protected manner that was approved. I’m not going to stand for that,” said Hild.
