Samwu protests FTLM corruption
"He applied for the position after it was closed and ended up getting it. Management should stop nepotism and favouritism in senior managerial posts. This man was appointed illegally," said Samwu's Colin Dlamini.
BURGERSFORT – Not only the councillors, ANC members and the public want changes at Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality (FTLM). The employees also want their bosses to go.
The South African Municipal Workers’s Union (Samwu) embarked on a shutdown at FTLM on Monday. The workers demanded that the municipal manager, Nonto Busane, be suspended from her position.
They also protested against the director of corporate services, Mafori Phasha, whom they said had been illegally appointed.
“He applied for the position after it was closed and ended up getting it. Management should stop nepotism and favouritism in senior managerial posts. This man was appointed illegally,” said Samwu’s Colin Dlamini.
Also among the union’s concerns is the downgrading of employees. Steelburger/Lydenburg News has learned from the union that since the amalgamation of the former Greater Tubatse Municipality (GTM) and Fetakgomo Municipality (FM), and the emerging of the VBS saga, the grading of FTLM has been impacted negatively, with the remuneration and placement of employees also affected.
Those working with graders and other machinery are also unable to do their jobs, as the municipality cannot buy fuel.
As of Wednesday, the shutdown was still ongoing. Locals could not get proof of residence or pay traffic fines. Entrances to the municipality were still blocked with vehicles and many services were unavailable.
Meanwhile Cosatu and its alliance partners will demonstrate against FTLM today.
According to the union’s provincial secretary, Mkhomazi Twala, they will demand accountability and the resignations of the politicians and senior officials who took illegal and unlawful decisions to invest public money in VBS.
