A group of disgruntled security guards seeking to be insourced into the Tshwane Municipality gathered at Church Square this past Workers’ Day for an imbizo.
The group of more than 2 000 guards and cleaners have been seeking to be insourced into the metro since 2018. The metro resolved then to employ the 4 000 guards directly, but to date, only phase 1, the employment of 1 302, has been completed.
The project has since been scrapped.
The guards protect Tshwane metro property but work for service providers contracted by the city.
They have expressed several grievances throughout the marches, failed motions and public meetings, that their needs as workers are being undermined by the companies they work for and that the metro isn’t doing anything to keep them in check.
The imbizo near the Paul Kruger statue on May 1 was led by the EFF and supported by coalition partner ActionSA and other stakeholders.
Group spokesperson Hlengiwe Ngwenya was pleased with the outcome of the imbizo, saying that the guards look forward to their resolution being put forward to the council soon.
READ MORE: Security guards’ insourcing battle continues
“It went well, so we are waiting for feedback from Mayco,” Ngwenya said.
She said it will be presented at the council as a resolution, where the final number of officers that are going to be added will be advertised, but it is not yet finalised.
“We did appreciate that when we called the MMC, they did come and respond to us,” Ngwenya said.
Community Safety MMC and ActionSA councillor, Hannes Coetzee promised the guards that he would fight for the insourcing of security guards.
“There must be a report in the mayoral committee regarding insourcing. We are busy with the IDP process, but we can still change the input in the budget. We need your signatures to put it into the IDP and say insourcing is the order of the day, finish and klaar,” Coetzee said.
He said that the exploitation of the workers must end, referring to previous occasions when the guards staged demonstrations outside Tshwane House. He added that a new model is needed.
“We must make sure they give you proper training on how to use a gun. For some of these properties we have, we will put security guards. Others will put CCTV cameras, others will put systems on the cables because cable theft is rife.
“But it is our job to take hands here as the MMC said, no matter what party you belong to, we need to build a city of excellence once again.”
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EFF Tshwane Regional Chairperson and MMC For Environmental and Agriculture, Obakeng Ramabodu said that he wants the metro police to train the guards to defend the city from crime once the resolution is passed.
“We have budgeted 60 million for training, so it can’t be a joke. Our security guards must be awarded certificates to show that they have passed their training. When we call them on-site, you must see their uniforms and equipment, others must be equipped with firearms, especially those securing our infrastructure, our power stations, clinics, and our parks, which are constantly being attacked. They need to be given guns, they can’t just have pepper spray,” Ramabodu said.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services Kholofelo Morodi said that it was high time that the exploitation of these workers stopped.
“Security personnel deserve fair wages, dignity, and job security – not exploitation. By working together, we can build ethical solutions that uplift workers, strengthen communities, and ensure a fair, just labour system. We remain committed to fighting for fair labour practices and ensuring that every worker’s contribution is valued,” Morodi said.
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