‘Muni has to answer’ – employees
The Mogalakwena Municipality was again brought to a complete standstill on Wednesday morning after service delivery was brought to a halt.
MOKOPANE – The Mogalakwena Municipality was again brought to a complete standstill on Wednesday morning after service delivery was brought to a halt.
Numerous residents who wanted to pay their bills were turned away. This comes after municipal employees voiced their disappointment to management in a peaceful gathering on the premises, after they felt senior management is making empty promises.
In the 27 November – 3 December edition of Bosveld, ‘Standstill at Muni’, it was reported: The Mogalakwena Municipality was brought to a complete standstill, after municipal employees raised their concerns.”
On Wednesday morning the same concerns were raised with management and Chairperson of the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), Jabu Mashamaite, told Bosveld: “One of the concerns raised in December is the fact that the municipality is benchmarked at level 6, but the employees are only paid on a level 3 and 2 grade. An agreement was made in a special council meeting where they said that during the budget adjustment this year the salaries will also be adjusted and this was not done.
“Another complaint raised today is the issue that 130 temporary municipal employees were replaced with service providers and we feel it is not right.
“They are privatising the municipal services now. On 24 December there was a council sitting with the local labour forum and an agreement was made that these temporary employees will continue their work, but now they did not receive their salary for January.”
Mashamaite further said: “All of the municipal employees want answers from the Acting Municipal Manager, Marcus Mthombeni and Mayor Parks Sebatjane on why they are dishonouring the agreement.
“We will only go back to work when their promises have been adhered to,” Mashamaite concluded.
Mthombeni told Bosveld on Wednesday morning: “We are dealing with the matter and administratively we will handle the situation. At this point in time I cannot disclose what steps will be taken, but hopefully the situation will be resolved by Friday.”
