Council insider says municipal employees are “like lambs to the slaughter”
A reliable municipal source says while the 16 suspended municipal employees will receive full salaries until their disciplinary hearings have been concluded, scores of low-paid municipal employees are being egged on by them to continue with the strike.
All 16 suspended employees who identify “as strike leaders”, including vocal employee spokesman Mr Kgosi Makwati, face being fired from the municipality over their respective roles in the ongoing labour disputes.
They have, however, been suspended with pay, pending their individual disciplinary hearings.
“Suspended employees know they stand to lose their jobs, despite still receiving full pay,” the source says.
The source, a reliable council insider, says hundreds of other striking employees will not receive their full pay due to their involvement in the unprotected strike.
“Money for days missed will be fully deducted from their salaries,” the source says.
Mr Makwati confirmed what the source alleges this morning, saying that despite the approval of Level 5 salaries for employees, “suspensions have not been lifted and no commitment was made for full salaries to be paid to other striking employees”.
Also read: Strike continues despite Level 5 upgrade for municipal employees
Workers have not returned to work and are continuing with the strike despite the Level 5 upgrade.
“The ones losing money are now the ones expected to fight for those receiving full pay,” the source says, adding, “They’re clearly being abused and used as cannon fodder.”
Mr Makwati told www.mobserver.co.za that a meeting will be held with all employees to map a way forward “for everyone’s benefit”.
Suspended employees are not allowed on any municipal premises after having been blacklisted, while other employees’ movements at the municipal building have been restricted to their respective parts of the offices.
“The majority of municipal employees are being led astray, they are blindly following so-called ‘leaders’ who’re fighting for their own survival, not the benefit of all,” the source says.
The municipality has not responded to requests for comment, with communication services flatly refusing to address media enquiries around the strike.
Meanwhile, the second man killed in last week’s shooting, has not been formally identified, but has been confirmed not to have been in the employment of the municipality by Acting Municipal Manager, Ms Thokozile Zulu.
Mr Mawakti, however, did identify the second deceased who passed away during transfer to an eMalahleni hospital.
