Workers want more;while management says back to work

Last week the streets of the CBD were subjected to an onslaught of fetid garbage, as workers emptied municipal skips, scattering their contents to the wind.

The municipality shortly thereafter issued an ultimatum to the workers, ordering them to disperse. The ultimatum was met with animosity, prompting management to initiate disciplinary action against the workers.

In the quiet suburbs, black bags filled to the brim are still piled high, waiting to be collected. Stray dogs and homeless wanderers have found much to do, scratching and clawing through the accumulated refuse.

Over the weekend, heaps of refuse appeared at the Farmers Hall, the rubbish dumped on the pavements and open fields next to the municipal waste transfer facility. Residents had no access to the facility, as workers had locked the gates and had not returned to work the following day.

After the fierce protests last Wednesday, the Newcastle Municipality issued a statement regarding the actions of the workers, condemning the “illegal actions taken by these employees” in the “strongest terms possible”.

Part of the statement read as follows:

‘We wish to state categorically and clearly that ill discipline will not be tolerated by the municipality. Legal action will be taken against all employees who do not abide by official municipal orders and we are now working closely with the SAPS and other stakeholders to monitor the situation, investigate the matter and take the necessary action as we deem fit. We want to assure the community that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book. We will not allow lawlessness within the ranks of the municipality thus compromising delivery of services to our ratepayers. Assurance is hereby given that everything has been put in place to ensure the non-disruption of services and the maintenance of law and order in our town.’

Many high ranking municipal officials also condemned the actions of the workers, saying that the proper avenues of complaint had not been followed.

During the State of the Town address on Tuesday night this week, Mayor of Newcastle, Afzul Rehman, confirmed that workers would be back at work on Wednesday morning.

The workers were allegedly asking for a raise of R5 200. While the average salary grade of workers could not be confirmed at the time of going to print, a raise to that value has been called ‘ridiculous’ by a senior manager within the municipality.

Many other issues were also brought to light, including the fact that some workers have allegedly been employed by the municipality for almost four years, yet still do not have permanent contracts.

“Even though I do not have a contract, they still give us letters to confirm our employment, so that we can go to the bank to get a loan,” alleged one worker. “This is not right.”

Businesses have suffered, with doors being locked on Scott Street during the protests, as shop owners were fearful of the crowd.

One resident e-mailed the Editor, explaining his shock at the state the CBD was in.

“I was out of town for a week,” he said. “Entering the town I was shocked to see rubble in just about every street in the CBD. What a disgrace, what do these people think of their town? Do they live like this at home too?” he asked.

“Can they not be grateful for the job they still have? I think they take everything for granted not realising that they will still have to go and clean up the mess they made. This is disgusting, I now wonder; ‘What do visitors from other cities and countries think of the once cleanest town of the year?'” he concluded.

Following the protests, the Municipality has promised to solve the cause of the problem, to ensure that the streets of Newcastle are never again strewn with the refuse of residents.