Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) workers who have been demanding backpay and to be moved from grade 4 to grade 5 continued to protest in the Port Shepstone CBD on Wednesday this week.

The angry workers threw refuse bags on the streets and marched to Oribi Plaza, where they were stopped by police.

The amalgamation of Hibiscus Coast Municipality and Ezinqoleni Municipality in 2016 raised the status of RNM from grade 4 to grade 5.

The grading process was finalised in 2019. The grading of the municipality’s HODs started in 2021 when they were moved from grade 4 to 5, and in 2023, the councillors were also moved to grade 5.

According to the South African Municipal Workers Union’s (Samwu) chairperson, Hakeem Sibisi, they met with municipal manager Khetha Zulu on Tuesday afternoon.

“Zulu told us that they will not be paying anything to anyone until they receive the decision of a court order.
We then, as the Samwu leadership, had to tell the workers, and it was decided that we will go back to the streets.

” Sibisi said that the instability being experienced at the municipality will continue if the workers’ demands are not Wmet. “We have to fight for what is ours; we now have a document saying that the municipality has been moved to grade 6 while we are still fighting for grade 5.”

He added that the instability will affect service delivery because the people who do that particular job are the ones protesting.

In September, the South African Local Government Bargaining Council made a decision that backpay of six months and moving employees to grade 5 would be fair. According to Zulu, the municipality submitted the bargaining council’s decision to court for review, and an order was granted to suspend the bargaining council’s decision.

“This means that we cannot make any payments or continue with the bargaining council’s decision because of the court ruling.” Zulu said that the grading of all municipal employees, including councillors and HoDs, is not for the municipality to decide but for Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta)

He added that the workers did receive an increment in September, a decision which was made by Cogta and not the municipality.

He said it is impossible to pay the workers without an instruction from Cogta and before the court ruling is finalised. “As the municipality, we do not have a problem paying the workers, but not until it comes from the relevant authority to tell us in which category we are supposed to pay them.” Zulu said the situation will be monitored, and communities advised on service delivery.

* Ward 18 councillor Doug Rawlins said he is receiving questions from residents and requests for updates on whether RNM has a contingency plan and when can people expect things to return to a normal situation.
“This silence is unacceptable. We have the Christmas holiday season starting now, and it is a mess. What action has been taken to resolve this matter?

What is the way forward? Can I get a response, or should I ask through the press?” he questioned.
Rawlins said he will be raising these questions as DA caucus leader at RNM on behalf of the residents. He is also escalating the matter to DA members of the provincial legislature at Cogta.

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