File
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union in the Eastern Cape Province has called for the cash-strapped Amatole District Municipality to be placed under administration.
Samwu said it was shocked and angered by a circular last week from the Municipal Manager, Thandekile Mnyimba, informing workers and councillors that would not be paid for a period of four months
According to the Municipality, it needs around R410 million to stay afloat and has issued an appeal to both the provincial and national government. Mnyimba spoke of “strained financial resources” in the memo advising the employees, councillors and traditional leaders would not be paid for February, April, May and June.
But, Samwu said of concern to them was that ADM had “never bothered to consult workers on this development which has a significant impact on the livelihoods of workers and consequently service delivery for the residents of Amathole.”
“As a sign of the municipality’s attempt to undermine Collective Bargaining Council and Labour Relations Act because you provide your service then get a salary simple, the municipality never bothered to call a Local Labour Forum which is a statutory consultative platform dealing with issues directly affecting employees,” said provincial secretary, Luzuko Yalezo.
He said the union believes the problems facing ADM are systemic and not necessarily financial.
“It can’t be correct that only in the third quarter of the financial year workers are told that the institution would not be in a position to honour its contractual obligations to workers.”
Yalezo said despite the budgetary provisions for salaries having been made last year, the municipality now asks workers to render their services without any remuneration for a period of five months.
“SAMWU, therefore, calls on the Eastern Cape Provincial government to immediately place the Amathole District Municipality under administration in terms of Section 139 (1) (b) of the country’s constitution,” he said, adding that the Municipal Manager should also be removed “as he has shown that he cannot competently run the institution.”
The EFF has also weighed in, giving ADM seven days to retract the notice “or else the EFF labour desk will take the appropriate action.”
