Students angry about non-payment of stipends

A GROUP of students are getting impatient with Mhlathuze Water regarding the non-payment of stipends they claim are due to them.

The group was recruited by the Department of Labour last year for a water and sanitation project, but say they did not receive any stipends for four months’ work.

They staged a protest on Wednesday and handed over a memorandum of grievances to the management of Mhlathuze Water.

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The group’s spokesperson, Mpumelelo Nzimande said while they did not receive payments, the Department of Labour kept deducting UIF fees even though they were not registered as employees. ‘We have been receiving stipends of R2 000, which is below the national minimum wage,’ said Nzimande.

Mhlathuze Water spokesperson, Siya Shimora, said the utility’s role is only to serve as an implementing agents.

‘The Department of Labour is responsible for this programme. We have engaged them on this issue. In November and December last year, we paid the students while waiting for the department to refund us.

‘Unfortunately, we could not continue doing so while the Department of Labour failed to pay over the stipend payments to Mhlathuze Water.

Department of Labour Director of Communications, Makhosonke Buthelezi, admitted to this.

‘We normally make advanced payments, but owing to a delay in UIF payments, the whole system has been disrupted.

‘A new amendment of the rules determines that all students must be covered under UIF, which will help them when they finish studies and struggle to find employment. ‘While waiting to find jobs, they will be able to claim from UIF until they are employed.

‘We commit ourselves to pay them the outstanding money so that this will not affect our partnership with Mhlathuze Water,’said Buthelezi.

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