RNM employees demand R144m in backpay
Shange confirmed that the workers will now be moved to grade 5 as per the decision taken by SALGBC.
A large number of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) employees embarked on a protest on October 25 and on Tuesday last week, as they demanded six months of backpay and to be graded from level 4 to level 5.
Money estimated to be paid out to employees, comprising senior managers, officials and general workers, is about R144m.
The amalgamation of Hibiscus Coast Municipality and Ezinqoleni Municipality in 2016 raised the status of the municipality (RNM) from grade 4 to grade 5.
The grading process was finalised in 2019. The grading of the municipality’s HODs started in 2021, where they were moved from grade 4 to 5, and in 2023, the councillors’ were also moved to grade 5.
At the beginning, the workers wanted to be back paid from 2021 after the HODs were upgraded.
In September, the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) made a decision that backpay of six months and moving employees to grade 5 would be fair.
However, salaries received in October did not match SALGBC’s decision, and employees took to the streets.
After the protest on the 25th, municipal manager Khetha Zulu said that RNM did not have the money currently but would have to sit down with the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) to find a way to pay the workers.
Zulu also said that the matter needs to be brought before council to review SALGBC’s decision.
Also, workers threatened that if there was no response as to when they will receive their money, they will not work.
They gathered early on Tuesday outside RNM’s main offices, where they patiently waited for hours for the sitting council to discuss their matter and give them feedback.
While the council meeting was under way, workers got angry and asked the leadership to address them.
After a some time, the deputy mayor Sibusiso Shange, speaker Phumlani Gumbi and chief whip Teddy Hlophe came out.
Shange told the workers that they would receive their money soon.
He also said that they will discuss with Samwu leadership how soon payment will be made.
“Management who is in charge of the finances are the ones who will be able to tell us the exact date as to when the workers will be paid out, and that is why we are going in now to discuss that.”
Shange confirmed that the workers will now be moved to grade 5 as per the decision taken by SALGBC.
The Samwu chairperson in RNM Hakeem Sibisi said that they feel much better now returning to work knowing that they will be fairly paid.
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