‘Minor errors’ reason some employees not paid – metro

About 400 metro employees on the Expanded Public Works Programme payroll will only receive their stipends on November 29.

Rekord was contacted by some of these employees, who complained about not receiving their stipends while hundreds of other colleagues have already received payment.

They were also fearful of not receiving their stipends in December.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo told Rekord that a substantial majority of the contracted programme participants were paid on time for November.

“There are about 400 programme participants who are going to be paid through a special daily run on or by the 29th. This is due to the minor errors in the information the participants picked up during the verification process which is currently underway. Like ID numbers with missing digits or extra digits versus the information on the payroll system,” said Mashigo.

Some of the participants made the allegation that late payments might be attributed to corruption or mismanagement by the metro.

Mashigo explained the metro’s programme uses an artificial intelligence-based system generated for the participant selection process.

“This system randomly selects participants, and an independent auditor verifies and approves the selection process before the finalisation of the selection process.

However, if there are any allegations of wrongdoing from members of the community or participants, they are encouraged to blow the whistle. Submit the information to the city’s fraud hotline on 080 874 9263 or fraud@tswhane.gov.za so that the veracity of the claims can be investigated fully without fear, favour, or prejudice.”

He refuted that participants might not be paid for December.

“It is not true. The city will process salaries for December.”

All contracted public programme participants are allocated to various departments and regions across the metro.

“The metro spends about R17-million per month on the public works programmes. These are from the grant funding from the National Department of Public Works and National Treasury and internal City of Tshwane’s funding,” Mashigo said.

A metro programme participant is paid the rate of R136.44 per day.

This is in line with the minimum wage rate for public programmes, as prescribed by the National Department of Labour.

Employment contracts are signed at the beginning of each contract term for these participants.

Participants come in and out of the programme at different time periods.

“The metro has a phased approach to ensure continuity and adequate transfer of skills and training to the participants.”

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