Disgruntled lifeguards from beaches across Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) recently gathered at the municipal offices in Uvongo.
Angry and frustrated, the lifeguards present expressed that a number of them had not received their salaries, or any form of relief funding, for the first lockdown period (April to October), as well as the lockdown, re-introduced towards the end of December last year.
Lifeguards resumed duties on South Coast beaches yesterday (Wednesday), after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the re-opening of recreational facilities including, beaches, lakes, rivers and public parks earlier in the week.
The municipality offers tenders to three private companies, namely Magner Consulting Services, Mthonjaneni Pty (Ltd) and Mzansi Facilitators.
They in turn provide lifesaving services at beaches in the RNM region, from Hibberdene to Port Edward.
According to the lifeguards, the municipality has not paid the companies, due to the closure of beaches, saying that the companies are service-based and therefore cannot receive payment for lack of services rendered.
“They are telling us that they will not pay us because we’re just ‘sitting at home’. How are we supposed to survive if we are not getting paid? There’s more of us than you see here today, but they couldn’t come because they don’t have money. Seeing as there are workers cleaning the beach, what exactly are they cleaning, since the beaches are closed?” said one of the lifeguards, who chose not to be named.
The demand for remuneration is not the only issue.
There is a long-term complaint regarding the desire to see the termination of the outsourcing of private companies to hire lifeguards in RNM.
“We’ve been fighting since 2011 to get the municipality to take over the running of the lifeguards. We are tired of the municipality giving out tenders and it is about time that it took over. It seems RNM does not fully respect us when we work under companies,” the frustrated lifeguard said.
Simon April, RNM spokesman, confirmed that companies had not been paid, and gave no indication as to whether the municipality intended to pay, stating that the companies were aware of the terms agreed upon receiving the tenders.
“The companies were paid for the months in which they provided services to the municipality. When bathing was prohibited, or banned, on the beaches, there was no need for the service and therefore they were not paid and this was communicated to the companies. Bathing is what was prohibited, or banned, on the beaches and the lifeguards services are only needed when bathing is permitted. Beach cleaners are not linked to bathing, although there may be more work for them when bathing is permitted,” he said.
During the previous week (19th of January) four lifeguards met with RNM Aquatic Safety Manager, Sibongiseni Langeni, who told them that the municipality did not know how it would go about insourcing these jobs.
However, as per Mr Langeni, the municipality plans on visiting other municipalities to learn how it is done so that it can insource, and that he (Mr Langeni) would forward the matter to the Head of Department (HOD) of Community Services, Mthandeni Ndwalane.
“We made it clear that we don’t expect RNM to hire us on the spot. It can start by giving us three month contracts and monitor if we can work outside the restrictions of companies. But instead of coming to talk to us, it feels like they are avoiding us,” the lifeguard said.
This was with reference to Mr Ndwalane, who could not meet with the lifeguards as he (according to and confirmed by April) was in a meeting from 8am, the time the lifeguards arrived at the offices, to 1pm where he was seen leaving the premises about 10 minutes after the Herald had requested to speak to him.
“He was in a meeting. Before Mr Ndwalane left, he communicated to his personal assistant that communication is centralised and is based in Port Shepstone and, therefore, he is not permitted to engage with journalists. Such a decision – of insourcing lifeguard services – can only be taken by Council, the decision making body of the municipality. For now, the Council has not taken such a decision,” Mr April said.
However, according to the director of Magnar Consulting Services, Nolwazi Mathenjwa, lifeguards employed under her company all received TERS for the the first lockdown.
“During the first lockdown, the company received assistance via the Covid-19 TERS funding which was paid to the lifeguards. Unfortunately, this time around there seems to be no indication from Government regarding any funding available,” Ms Mbanjwa said.
“The last payment received from the municipality was for December 2020. There has not been any official communication regarding any future payments during this second lockdown. When the first lockdown was implemented the HOD of Community Services sent a letter basically stating that since we are not an essential service, the company can not invoice the Municipality for services not rendered and there will be no payments until work resumed.”
The company has been gravely affected as it is unable to keep up with with monthly expenses as there are no reserves after running on no income for six months last year.
“We empathise with the lifeguards as the company is barely keeping afloat with no assistance from the municipality,” she added.
Equally frustrated by the ongoing situation is director and owner of Emithonjaneni Pty (Ltd.), Sphelele Cele, whose workers only received their TERS funds for the first month of the level 5 lockdown.
“We are a registered complying company and claimed the relief fund for our workers, of which they received their TERS funds for the first month. In the following months there were delays caused by TERS and the workers’ payments. I believe the TERS system was faulty,” explained Mr Cele.
Mr Cele expressed empathy to his workers, saying that the situation was being taken seriously.
“These are very challenging times and we are with them. We will overcome this coronavirus pandemic and we as the company are in very good relationship with the workers. We have not distanced ourselves one bit and we support them in these trying times.”
Mzansi Facilitators was also contacted for comment.
A woman known only as ‘Sasa’ to the Herald, who is believed to be the owner of the company, refused to give comment, stating that she knew nothing of any complaints.
She further claimed that her workers had all been paid and demanded that those who spoke to the newspaper be named.
‘Sasa’ could not be reached for any further comment.
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