AFTER months of intensive engagements, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba’s intervention has helped resolve the impasse between the municipality and plumbers.

Chairperson of the Trading Services Committee, councillor Mduduzi Nkosi, the Head of Water and Sanitation, Siyanda Mwelase, and representatives of the plumbers attended a meeting.

Among the issues raised by the plumbers were the rates payable to them and their recruitment by the main contractors from the existing database.

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All parties agreed that the hourly rates for the three categories of plumbers will remain unchanged as follows:

•Category A: R592.51per hour

•Category B: R353.01per hour

•Category C: R238.60 per hour

The parties further agreed that the 15% management fee will no longer be deducted from the hourly rate of plumbers.

An agreement was also reached that the five main contractors will source plumbers from the existing pool of 1886 plumbers.

“No plumber will be permitted to work on municipal infrastructure without the necessary accreditation. Recruitment for the first shift of 712 plumbers has commenced, with 337 plumbers already recruited from the database. A further 375 plumbers are still required to complete the first shift,” said eThekwini in a statement.

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Representatives of the plumbers committed themselves to assisting with the submission of names of plumbers to finalise the recruitment process for both the first and second shifts.

The plumbers welcomed the agreement as a huge relief, particularly the issue of the 15% management fee.

Xaba thanked the plumbers for embracing the new model and assured them of his commitment to working with them to improve service delivery in the City.

“I am happy that we have now found one another, as we have resolved the issues the plumbers were complaining about. This latest development paves the way for them to resume their duties under the five main contractors and start addressing the service delivery backlog,” said Xaba.

The previous contract with the plumbers was declared non-compliant with the Municipal Finance Management Act, as the contract had been designed before the legislation came into effect. To regularise the process, the municipality was required to follow proper supply chain management procedures, including advertising a tender.

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This process resulted in five companies being appointed as main contractors to provide plumbing services.

Ward 64 councillor Norman Gilbert said this is a temporary fix to get the plumbers working to resolve the 13 000 outstanding leaks.

“The City is using the 5 Capital Investment Programme contractors to facilitate the contractual obligation to use these plumbers. A new tender process has to be finalised to contract the outsourced plumbers. However, the City has committed to increase the number of inhouse plumbers,” said Gilbert.

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