This is what we paid for…
Striking municipal employees have been paid, despite not lifting a finger the past four weeks.
Www.mobserver.co.za has reliably learnt that the administration took the decision to pay employees, despite the ongoing illegal strike, because “there’s no fair way to determine who did report for duty and who didn’t”.
CCTV videos will be used in further investigations to determine which employees were ordered from their offices and workspace by striking employees.
Another problem is that some employees were able to work from home during the ongoing strike.
The municipality, however, plans to deduct the windfall from employee leave days.
Where employees don’t have deductible leave, deductions to cover the windfall will be made on future salaries.
Meanwhile, employees say the strike is ongoing.
There’s been no breakthrough in negotiations with provincial and national cooperative governance delegates it was confirmed this morning.
Employee representative, Sipho Masimula, says reports that a level 5 upgrade for employees have been approved by the province, is untrue.
Employees have blasted Cooperative Governance MEC Mandla Ndlovu for also declining to withdraw suspensions and disciplinary hearing of 16 suspended employees, while at the same time insisting on bringing an outside interim Municipal Manager to lead negotiations.
“We have capable, trustworthy executive directors who can rotate in the acting position until a permanent appointment is made by council,” Mr Masimula says.
Residents have responded with understandable fury over salary payments for striking employees, while they are forced to pay for services that they’re not receiving.
A number of councillors have also spoken out against the precedent, calling it “another open door for anarchy and destruction”.
Councillors have been a target for striking employees over its refusal to implement a level 5 upgrade, with the exception of the EFF and MHRF.
Meanwhile, a petition with almost 1000 signatures is currently doing the rounds, calling for the immediate reimbursement of fees paid while no services were rendered.
According to the petition residents are being bled dry, while striking employees demand salary increases while they’ve already received benchmarked increases at the start of the year.
The municipality has also issued public requests for labour and equipment support from the community while the strike continues.
Civil calls for the resignation of Acting Municipal Manager Ms Thokozile Zulu and Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela is increasing by the day.
Residents have lost faith in the municipality, province and national government to come to their protection, as negotiations have reached a deadlock, despite ministerial intervention.
