VANDERBIJLPARK. – The Emfuleni Local Municipality has in the past seven years spent over R669 million on labour disputes with its employees.
This is according to Mr Kingsol Chabalala, Member of the Provincial Legislature and DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR). He says the figure of R669 million was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for COGTA, Lebogang Maile in a written reply to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).
According to MEC Maile, the ANC-led Emfuleni has spent approximately R500 000 000 on legal fees defending labour dispute cases since 2013 and they have paid R169 502 688,32 to employees for cases that they have lost.
“In total, the municipality has paid over R669 million for legal fees and employee compensation. There are 25 cases that have been referred to the Bargaining Council, 14 cases that have been referred to the Labour Court and three disputes that have been referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Furthermore, there are 18 awards in favour of employees of which two have Labour Court judgements; only 12 cases were won by the municipality,” reports Chabalala.
He says it is worrying that the employees are winning labour dispute cases and large sums of money have to be paid by a municipality that is facing serious cash flow problems.
“The DA calls on MEC Maile to investigate the reasons why this municipality is having continuous labour issues with its employees and to ascertain whether the municipality is following proper labour legislation and Code of Conduct with regards to its employees. We will also table follow-up questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to ascertain what measures are being put in place to curb labour disputes in this municipality,” says Chabalala.