Security guards threaten metro shutdown
“We are going to continue putting pressure until someone recognises us and saves us from this sinking ship of working for private companies.”
Disgruntled workers are threatening to shut the Tshwane metro down should the council refuse to absorb them.
This was made clear during a Church Square protest by the EFF, Samwu and hundreds of disgruntled security guards during the council meeting on September 28.
Nearly two months in, around 300 workers affiliated to Samwu and Imatu unions have been dismissed for participating on an unlawful wage strike since July.
The strike reportedly was the main topic on the meeting agenda, with its crippling effects still being felt in various sectors.
Council members were expected to table a motion in the sitting to demand that mayor Cilliers Brink and committees engage with worker unions and ensure that all dismissed workers are reinstated with full salaries and increases.
EFF and Security guards
Amid the political bouts, hundreds of guards convened on Church Square to support the EFF’s motion for the metro to employ or insource them instead of using them a contractors.
In 2018 the metro resolved to insource 4 000 in phases.
The guards claim to date only 1 302 of that have been absorbed and the move has since been scrapped.
“We are not here to fight or cause chaos, we simply want to demonstrate our issues,” said group leader Joshua Mdau.
“We are suffering under these companies, exploitation is so high. It’s payday either today or tomorrow and you’ll find that workers aren’t paid for all sorts of reasons. Those working nightshifts can be told that they didn’t get paid because whichever company didn’t receive funds from the City.”
Mdau said guards are underequipped, and have no uniforms leaving them vulnerable to criminal attacks.
“We are not fighting with companies, they are just like you or me trying to put bread on the table. Our war is with the municipality, we want them to implement the remaining phases and pass the motion tabled,” Mdau continued
Mdau said most of the guards and bread winners are simply not getting by on their wages.
In April, the same group had organised a march to Tshwane House from Princess Park. Mdau said they would not back down unless their demands are met.
“You must remember this thing has been going on since 2016, and it won’t stop. We are just workers and we need to be recognised. We are going to continue putting pressure until someone recognises us and saves us from this sinking ship of working for private companies. So far it’s the EFF and ActionSA that have come to the party,” he said.
Fellow security guard and EFF member, Humbulani Netshianane said they are fed up with being ignored by current and previous administrations.
Netshianane said the metro would be brought to its knees should workers not be absorbed.
“Our problem is the DA. Brink doesn’t attend to our issues, every time we march to council and demonstrate we are ignored. Randall didn’t want to attend to us now Brink doesn’t,” he said.
Randall Williams was previous Tshwane mayor.
“If the workers and security guards are not absorbed, we are going to shut down the City. We are the ones protecting the infrastructure, we don’t care if thieves run in and take everything. If they reject the motion, that very day, no one is going to work,” he said.
Group spokesperson Hlengiwe Ngwenya also expressed frustration over working for private companies.
“These companies are not paying us on time. Some get paid on the 7th, others on the 15th, it’s a mess. We have to go to loan sharks to survive and if you don’t pay them on time they double what you owe,” she said.
“They all need to pass this motion or the next council sitting, it’s a shutdown.”
DA vs. Action SA
In the sitting, the DA accused ActionSA of back-stabbing for negotiating with striking workers.
In a statement, the DA said ActionSA’s surprise motion lacked substance.
“ActionSA seems to be playing opposition politics while in government, clearly attempting to score political points,” the DA said.
“Over the past nine weeks, the multi-party coalition has been locked in a battle for the financial future of Tshwane. This struggle has witnessed the destruction of municipal infrastructure, assault on municipal employees, and even the shooting of a municipal worker. Supporting this motion would essentially condone violence, destruction, and intimidation.”
The DA claimed that the motion would leave the metro in financial ruin which would come at the expense of residents so could not endorse it.
ActionSA clapped back at the DA’s saying that its handling of the strike has been a disgrace.
“This has led to a strike that has now lasted for nearly three months, crippling service delivery and causing hardship for thousands of residents across the capital city.”
“The DA has tried to blame the strike on everyone but themselves, but the truth is that they are the ones who caused it. They have a clear obligation to implement the wage increase agreement, but they simply choose not to,” ActionSA said in statement.
ActionSA said the city decided to break the agreement the wage agreement Williams reached with unions in 2021.
“As ActionSA, we remain committed to the multi-party coalition agreement which, in many instances, speaks of the imperative of stable labour relations that enable service delivery across Tshwane. We will take our concerns arising from the city to the structures of the multi-party coalition,” the statement concluded.
Council approves senior managers’ appointment
The council approved the appointment of 56 senior managers.
Brink had said: “This is an important development for the city, the managers will help change the organisational culture to one of high performance and professionalism.”
The managers will be permanent staff and report to the city manager.
Brink said the appointments come followed a “rigorous and thorough” recruitment process.
The crucial posts to be filled are:
– Chief of Police
– Chief of Emergency Services
– Chief Financial Officer
– Chief Operations Officer
– Chief Audit Executive
– Group Head: Strategy and Management Support
– Governance and Support Officer
“Tshwane is facing many challenges and requires experienced professionals who will hit the ground running and help the government of the day execute its democratic mandate,” Brink concluded.
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