Chaos over jobs: Mutale residents ’to be considered’

LIMPOPO – Angry residents of Thengwe and surrounding communities in Mutale last Wednesday blocked the entrance to the newly built Thengwe Clinic over a labour issue, saying vacancies should be filled by local residents.

They are also of the view that the newly erected traffic circle near the clinic gate is a danger to motorists.

The new state-of-the art clinic was upgraded recently and will soon become operational, but security guard vacancies have recently been advertised.

According to a community leader in Thengwe, Khodani Mudanalawo, the communities stay in impoverished deep rural areas where there are no jobs. “We cannot allow anyone to prevent our people from getting jobs in their area of jurisdiction for jobs that they are capable to do. We have reliably been informed that the security company is recruiting new guards, but we are worried that the communities around Thengwe were not informed. We cannot allow people from as far as Thohoyandou and Malamulele to be hired as guards while our own community members have been trained as guards at accredited security training colleges”

The managing director of BJM Security Services, Joel Masingi said as a provincial department contractor, they have to recruit seven guards and in doing so, they engaged with the ward councillor and a traditional leader.

“We met with community leaders, the traditional leader and councillor last Wednesday and an agreement was reached that suitable candidates who wish to be guards can start submitting their CVs.”

According to Masingi, they will be considering qualifications and experience in the recruitment process.