Ugu workers unhappy with termination of contracts
We just want to get our jobs back and start working again so we can pay off our debts.
Sixty seven contract workers who were hired in 2020, after 119 workers were dismissed from Ugu District Municipality, are unhappy that termination letters were issued to them in October.
The group made up of water tanker drivers, TLB operators, plumbers and general workers said they’ve been working for Ugu as contract workers for 30 months and received emails that their contracts had been terminated.
Their gripe is that the emails were sent late and they were not given 30 days notice. They also said they have made attempts to meet with an HR manager, but to no avail.
Also, they have bought cars and taken out loans and were under the assumption that the municipality would hire them permanently as they have been on extended contracts.
They said that when they initially applied it was on three-month contracts, thereafter their contracts were renewed month-to-month. They recently signed backdated copies of the month-to-month contracts.
“How can we be on contract but we have leave days accumulating up to 40 days or more?” said one worker. They feel that Ugu has let them down, used them and led them to believe that they will have permanent jobs.
One of the workers, Bonga Mqadi said they want their jobs back, so that they can feed their families .”There is something fishy about our contracts, they are not telling us anything.”
He said they have also asked the ANC leadership to help them but they have not received any.
“We have overtime due to us and we haven’t been paid, I don’t know if we will be paid or not.”
Acting Ugu spokesperson Mondli Ngcobo said every employee employed by the municipality enters into a contract of employment which stipulates the conditions of engagement between the municipality and its employees, i.e duration and conditions of service.
“The municipality has always fulfilled its employment obligations that it has with all its employees, employed on both permanent and contractual basis.”
He added any vacancy that becomes available is filled after recruitment and selection processes.
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