Disgruntled workers cause mayhem

Khumeni Wetes

QWAQWA-Employees in the infrastructure section of Maluti A Phofung local municipality went on the rampage on Thursday – burning tires and blockading – some roads as they accused the municipality of turning a deaf ear to their grievances.

Some of the striking employees who preferred to stay anonymous for fear of reprisal, said they decided to down tools after management failed to reverse the deployment of new employees at senior positions leaving qualifying old employees at low level positions.

“We stopped a previous strike after management promised to remove all the people employed in December and deployed in our department without following procedures. But a month has now passed nothing has changed; they continue occupying senior positions while long serving employees with similar and better skills are left out.”

Her sentiments were endorsed by a shop steward of the South Africa Municipal Workers Union Mojalefa Meya, who accused the municipality of employing people from outside leaving experienced locals in acting positions.

“There are people from outside this municipality who have been employed in senior positions by this municipality without such vacancies having been advertised. Secondly, someone is removed from the office and deployed here in the infrastructure department, yet he knows nothing about this department while those who have the experience and skills are left in acting positions. We cannot accept this,” said Meya.

The regional chairperson of SAMWU Tseko Mokoena said the municipality has failed to honour its promise, prompting the workers to embark on a strike.

“We cannot fold our arms when we feel we have been failed and a promise made to us has been broken. We were told that people who have been employed in December will be released from their positions by March 28, but this has not happened,” Mokoena stated.

The acting administrator of Maluti A Phofung local municipality Amos Goliath could not be reached to comment.