DFA reports that Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers employed in a mayoral cleaning project are threatening to embark on strike action and throw faeces inside the Sol Plaatje municipal offices in Kimberley if they are not given increases with immediate effect. A group of workers gathered outside Sol Plaatje Municipality on Monday where they indicated that around 500 people were earning stipends of R2,600.
“We want to be paid R3,850 because R2,600 is not sufficient to cover our rental expenses or buy electricity for the month. We have been working for years without any increases,” they said. The workers are also fighting to be permanently absorbed by the municipality and indicated that they were making use of their own broomsticks to clean the streets. “We do are not provided with personal protective equipment and wear civilian clothes.”
They indicated that there was no one to listen to their concerns after storming into the offices as none of the officials were available. “The community services manager and mayor are running away from us. We also wrote letters to the Office of the Premier but have not received any feedback. “We have been employed on a five-year contract and we want to be remunerated in line with the minimum wage. We are only given one month’s unpaid maternity leave and payment is deducted when we are absent from work.”
A task team member disagreed with the proposed labour action. “If we embark on strike action, we will not be paid. While EPWP projects usually only provide employment for six months, a special concession was made to employ us for a period of five years, as we are ANC volunteers,” she pointed out. The spokesperson for the Office of the Mayor, Keobakile Musunse, said a task team would be established to meet with the delegation from the executive mayor’s office weekly to discuss grievances from the project workers.
“The task team members are now fighting amongst themselves as to who will form part of the delegation. Currently, there is no consensus,” said Musunse. She added that the municipality had ordered personal protective equipment. “We are awaiting the arrival of the order. I also want to put it on record that the working conditions comply with labour regulations,” Musunse noted.
by Sandi Kwon Hoo