Earlier today, Ugu District Municipality workers downed tools and marched to the Ugu main offices, demanding that council resolve to place the municipality under administration.
The workers, belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said not only did they want the municipality placed under administration, but also called for the Hawks to investigate three contractors whom they believe have captured the municipality.
According to Samwu chairman, Mthandeni Ngcobo a list of grievances had been sent to the municipality’s Troika, including names of contractors they believed have been appointed to benefit some managers and leaders at Ugu.
“A report came back but only certain contractors names were to be investigated, the main contractor who does everything for Ugu was not mentioned in the report – why?” asked Mr Ngcobo.
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They also said municipal manager DD Naidoo should be axed, along with senior water services manager, Paul Watson.
Secretary Phila Madwe accused the KZN Premier’s office and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs of being “useless” when it came to presiding over matters at Ugu.
“They are busy investigating, all the time, it’s investigation after investigation but there are no results at the end, and we are tired. We don’t want to hear from them, we want action,” he said.
The workers also said the entire Ugu council was “useless” because it had been making recovery plans since 2013 but there had been no apparent difference.
“They are always saying they are trying, they are trying. What trying, when they are bluffing poor customers who pay for services they don’t receive,” said one.
The workers said the only solution was to get the Hawks to investigate what they called the “capturing of the municipality”, and its tender system.
Among other grievances listed were security, lack of maintenance on vehicles, and shift work.
Acting Ugu mayor Phumlile Mthiyani tried to talk to the crowd who said they had no time to listen as they wanted to go back to work.
Mrs Mthiyani eventually told them that they would meet on Monday to discuss their grievances.
Ugu spokesman France Zama said they were shocked that workers decided to march to their offices.
“We are not fighting with them, we did respond to their grievances but they said we are saying nothing in our response. We are willing to meet them again to discuss all their issues.”
On the issue of placing the municipality under administration, Mr Zama said there were processes to be followed when deciding such and that it was not only council’s prerogative to decide whether to place the municipality under administration or not.
The workers then returned to their duties.
