WATCH: Contracted municipal cleaners protest pay delays in Benoni
Workers are still waiting for their wages since February.
Dozens of contract cleaning workers gathered outside municipal offices in Benoni on Friday morning, protesting unpaid and delayed salaries.
The workers allege they have yet to receive their February wages.
The ongoing labour dispute has raised concerns about potential disruptions to essential cleaning services, as well as the metro’s ability to maintain service delivery amid the demonstration.
Approximately 80 protesting employees told Benoni City Times that since the appointment of a new contractor, they have experienced irregular salary payments. They added that their complaints and demands, outlined in a memorandum submitted to both the contractor and the municipality, have gone unanswered.
“The contractor has failed to honour the agreement to pay us at the end of each month. We have exhausted all avenues to address the issue,” said one worker, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation.
“To make matters worse, our one-year contracts expire in July, yet the contractor remains unknown to us and has consistently avoided meeting with us. We are simply told that a new contractor has absorbed us from the previous one. How are we expected to come to work if we are not being paid?”
The contractor could not immediately be reached for comment.
The City of Ekurhuleni said it understands the workers’ concerns but maintains it cannot intervene in what it described as a labour dispute between an employer and its employees.
“These are not municipal employees. Issues relating to salary payments are a matter between the employer and employees,” said metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
“Where the municipality becomes involved is when service delivery is affected. In such cases, we activate the service level agreement (SLA), which compels the employer to ensure workers report for duty. Failure to do so could result in termination of the contract.”
The metro added that while it respects the right to protest, demonstrations must remain within the bounds of the law.
“If protests disrupt municipal operations, we will act to protect our property, customers, employees and the continuity of service delivery. In short, if service delivery is compromised, the SLA will be enforced,” said Dlamini.
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