Disgruntled security guards vow to shut down metro
“We are not jokes, we are people. When people are supposed to get paid they receive letters from these private companies saying that Tshwane is facing technical problems and hasn’t paid.” - guard spokesperson, Hlengiwe Ngwenya
A group of disgruntled security guards that marched to Tshwane House last Thursday over insourcing have vowed to keep their shutdown promise should their demands not be met by the end of the week.
Protesting is not new to these guards, who previously also protested over the 2018 metro resolution to insource 4 000 of them. They claim the move was scrapped only after 1 302 were employed.
They have demonstrated multiple times outside Tshwane House and Church Square, with the latest round resulting in a tense standoff with MMC for community safety, Grandi Theunissen.
“This is the last memorandum. If we don’t receive positive feedback, we’re going to shut down Tshwane,” said group chairperson, Joshua Modau.
The guards claim to be working for private companies that give them the runaround when it’s time to pay salaries. Some are paid late, some not at all, and most complain about unworkable conditions, demanding to be absorbed by the metro.
“There’s this thing going around, we are not sure whether it’s true or not but there are rumours that they want to place us into EPWP. We are security guards and we need clarity from the city in the form of a sitdown with the mayor, deputy mayor or city manager. This insourcing has been going on for too long,” Modau added.
Members of the South African Cleaners Security Alliance Workers (SACSAW) also marched to Tshwane House earlier this month to voice various grievances
SACSAW mainly protested the metro’s plan of axing 66% of security staff and replacing them with members of the metro police in the coming months.
The move would see more than 3 000 security guards losing their jobs. The reduction is allegedly linked to the municipality’s failure to pay security companies its security budget of more than R240 million was depleted.
“This is not a threat, this is a promise,” said guard spokesperson, Hlengiwe Ngwenya.
“This memorandum that you take, if you don’t respond to us within seven days, the shutdown of the city will be on your hands. The last time you came telling us jokes, I was not pleased by that. I don’t even feel like reading this memorandum to you, I want you to go find the one that you threw away in whatever dustbin and read that one,” Ngwenya told Theunissen directly.
Theunissen had at first refused to sign the memorandum during the protest, which caused a commotion. He also refused to address the guards or members of the media. Today, the guards say they still have not heard from the metro.
“This is not a joke, Tshwane will be shut down from Region 1 to 7. Even the police won’t work, they can come shoot us and we are plenty. If Tshwane doesn’t take us seriously, we are not going to vote. We are not jokes, we are people. When people are supposed to get paid they receive letters from these private companies saying that Tshwane is facing technical problems and hasn’t paid. This is the last time, next time these police officers won’t allow me to stand this close to you, there’ll be a serious war,” Ngewenya told Theunissen.
Security guard Sipho Ndinisa of Bronkhorspruit believes the efforts of fellow guards will be for nought and only through disruption will the guards be taken seriously.
“This thing of memorandum I don’t believe in it anymore, it’s time for things to actually change. These people don’t take us seriously. If I could only get resources to bomb this building, I’d do so. We need to bring back the dignity of security officers. We work 24/7 under dangerous circumstances, we need to be taken seriously as security officers and we’ll make sure that we are,” Ndinisa said.
Security guards are demanding the following:
– Insourcing of the remaining security workers currently working for private companies into the metro
– Regular checks of companies for Basic Conditions of Employment Act compliance
– An end to late payment
– A sit-down meeting with the mayor, deputy mayor or city manager.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
