Unpaid MTPA workers vent their anger
Salaries not in the banks when expected a course for protest at MTPA
MBOMBELA – The financial woes of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) have been an issue of controversy for many years, with officials having had to fund conservation activities out of their own pockets.
This was highlighted again yesterday morning when more than 100 staff members took part in a protest action at the MTPA’s offices next to HL Hall & Sons, because they had not been paid.
The majority were temporary workers, most of them working at game reserves, but there were also permanent staff members.
Some of the protesters told Lowvelder that this was not the first time something like this had taken place.
The newly appointed CFO Ms Helen Thrush, left the offices for her own safety.
Acting MTPA CEO Mr Sam Maluleke was also forced to leave the offices, with the protesters marching behind his car singing “Hamba, hamba”.
“It is real bread-and-butter issues. We were all expected to be paid today (yesterday). Our debit orders on our accounts have been dated for today. What are we supposed to do?” said one of the protesters who asked not to be named.
“And then they expect loyalty from us, while they are not doing what they supposed to do.”
According to MTPA spokesperson Ms Kholofelo Nkambule, the money for salaries should have been authorised not later than Friday last week, because it takes two days for the banks to release it into the staff members’ accounts. Three officials could authorise payments and at least two were supposed to sign for the release of salaries to be paid over to the banks.
She failed to explain to Lowvelder why her and most of the staff at head office’s salaries were paid on time.
Maluleke authorised the payment of the salaries before leaving his office, but the money will only be available
on Wednesday.
