Mtubatuba municipal employees vow to down tools

MTUBATUBA Municipality employees have threatened a full-blown strike next month if their grievances are not attended to.

Last week scores of municipal employees picketed outside the municipality gates, complaining about proposed cost cutting measures.

The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and shop steward Nkosinathi Mthiyane accused the municipality of planning to reduce their allowances, such as car allowances and overtime.

‘We are unhappy with the car allowance benefit being added to employees’ salaries. We have also noted the municipality’s conduct in hiring double contractors for a single job,’ Mthiyane said.

‘One gets paid for doing nothing and the other contractor gets paid for doing the job. That amounts to fraud.

‘They have hired a road grader and TLB even though the municipality has its own. This does not indicate cost cutting measures.‘We are currently waiting for the certificate allowing us to go on a full-blown strike on 8 December. This was just a warm-up match.

‘We need to know why they have refused to renew an R8-million security contract with a local company, only to give a tender to a Durban-based company for R11-million.

‘This is an abuse of taxpayer’s money,’ Mthiyane said.

Municipal Manager Jaconia Mngomezulu said he was prepared to meet with the workers and listen to their grievances with a view to finding a solution.