Dismissed Ekurhuleni waste workers still await payment more than a decade later
Former City of Ekurhuleni solid waste workers from Thembisa say they are still fighting for outstanding payments and reinstatement, despite court and CCMA rulings in their favour.
Former workers from the City of Ekurhuleni Solid Waste Department in Thembisa say they are still battling for outstanding payments more than a decade after being unfairly dismissed.
According to the workers, the city hired 282 people in 2002 on contracts to work in solid waste services.
They claim they were told the positions would become permanent. However, fewer than 40 workers got appointed, while the remaining employees continued working until they were dismissed in 2010 without pay. The remaining workers were reportedly instructed to reapply for posts, but were never appointed.
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Following their dismissal, the workers approached the courts and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) about what they describe as an unlawful dismissal.
They claimed their first case was a success.
“In 2010, we approached the CCMA after working with SAMWU, a union which later left us while we were still fighting for our payments,” said Frans Mantoa, one of the dismissed workers.
“After we no longer had the union’s backing, we went to the CCMA and had a victory, which stated that the city must pay us from 2002 to 2014 and reinstate us.
“To this day, we have not received communication, except for R4 500 that was paid to us in 2010 when they released us from work.”
The workers later took the matter to the Labour Court for review.
On November 26 last year, a ruling reportedly confirmed that the 2019 matter formed part of the labour dispute and that the judgment should be implemented.
The workers also claim they had been contributing to pension funds through their employer, but were never compensated following their dismissal.
“We have been through a lot as solid waste workers,” Mantoa said.
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“We have reported the matter to former president Jacob Zuma, and both the former Gauteng premier David Makhura and the current president and premier are aware of the issue. We have engaged with their offices, but nothing has been done.
“We have approached all spheres of government seeking justice and the implementation of the 2019 judgment. Sadly, some workers are still unemployed, and others passed away before receiving what is rightfully theirs.”
On January 30, the workers submitted a memorandum to the Department of Labour offices in Germiston, citing a court judgment ordering payment for their services.
The Thembisan has contacted the Solid Waste Department for comment. The department has acknowledged the enquiry and indicated that it will respond as the process unfolds.
